ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 High of 85 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 OWNERSHIP REGISTRY: A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE FIGHT AHEAD SPORTS | PAGE 18 CAYMAN INVITATIONAL GETS BACK ON TRACK SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Airport notifies bid winners of concessions contracts BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Successful bidders for concessions fa- cilities at Owen Roberts International Air- port were notified Saturday via letters from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, the Cayman Compass has learned. The letters, dated June 2, requested that successful applicants - selling everything from souvenirs, to jewelry, to alcohol - enter into lease agreements with the authority in the next two weeks, if they wish to provide services at the revamped terminal at Grand Cayman’s airport. The new airport departures terminal is ex- pected to be substantially complete by the end of this year. Although it’s not clear how the matter was ultimately resolved, a number of successful bidders contacted by the Cayman Compass over the weekend indicated their belief that there would not need to be another request for bids sent out for the concessions contracts, as was first feared. The concern was that, if a new bidding process was required, the opening of conces- sions services would be delayed beyond the new airport departure facility’s opening in De- cember, leaving the terminal without conces- sions amenities for departing travelers. A total of 42 bids for concessions services were received by the airports authority last year for available spots inside and outside the terminal; however, airport officials missed their own deadline to announce the bid win- ners, set for December 2017. The authority then sought permission from all concessions applicants to retroactively ex- tend the original bids’ validity period until June 7, 2018. It is not known whether all of the bid- ders gave signed consent for the extension, but CRASHES CLAIM 6 LIVES IN 4 MONTHS Two remain hospitalized after weekend smashes BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three serious weekend car collisions, in- cluding one that left two people hospitalized and in critical condition Saturday morning, put an emphatic point on the perilous condi- tions of Cayman’s roads so far this year. At press time Sunday, all victims remained alive, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, including one intensive care pa- tient who was transferred to the Health City Cayman Islands facility on Saturday from the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town. However, the carnage occurring on local roads within the last four months has already equaled what the islands saw for the entire year in 2017. Between Feb. 15 and May 30, a total of six people died in collisions on local roadways. Two of those crashes involved pedestrians being struck by vehicles in lanes of traffic, one on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway bridge near the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa on April 12 and another last Monday along Shamrock Road in Savannah. Of the other fatalities, two were single-ve- hicle crashes occurring in North Side and East End, and two were two-vehicle accidents in George Town and Cayman Brac. The deadly wrecks come amid stepped up traffic enforcement efforts by the Royal Emergency support ship hits Cayman beach MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Skip loaders and other heavy equipment rolled off a navy ship and onto the sand of Governors Beach Friday morning as part of an annual hurricane exercise conducted by the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The RFA Mounts Bay, which was parked off of Seven Mile Beach, is part of the United Kingdom’s rapid response force in times of natural disaster. The U.K. maintains a year-round presence in the Caribbean to provide support during such events. Mounts Bay provided help to the British Virgin Is- lands, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos last year in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Capt. Peter Selby said the ship carries equipment that al- lows it to help clear roads, re- establish infrastructure, such as electricity, as well as secu- rity until other support arrives. It carries a landing barge, up to 25 support boats and has a heli- copter landing pad. “We want to be here 12 hours after the hurricane and we’ll be here for 48 hours,” Mr. Selby said. By that time, he said, it’s ex- pected that his forces will have been able to clear the airport Governor Anwar Choudhury greets the crew of RFA Mounts Bay as they disembark and begin emergency-response exercises on Governors Beach. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY JUNE 4, 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) ADRIFT (PG13) 1:10 I 7:30 I 10:00 AMERICAN ANIMALS (R) 12:30 I 4:30 I 7:00 I 9:55 AVENGERS INFINITY WAR PART 1 (PG13) 1:00 I 3:30 I 6:40 I 9:40 BREAKING IN (PG13) 3:10 I 5:20 I 7:30 I 9:45 DEADPOOL 2 (R) 12:50 I 4:15 I 6:40 I 9:45 VIP SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 1:15 I 3:40 I 3:45 VIP I 6:45 VIP I 9:30 New Frank E. Flowers project leans on local acting talent Film a ‘milestone’ for Cayman’s movie industry JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com When movie director Frank E. Flowers returned to the Cayman Islands to shoot his latest project, he had one small problem – where to find a decent mermaid. Mr. Flowers assembled a local crew, recruited Hol- lywood actor Garrett Hed- lund and rented a luxury villa on Boggy Sand Road to shoot his short movie, “Tocsin,” in December. The only stumbling block was finding someone who could swim safely with a silicon tail for underwater scenes involving a mermaid. “This thing weighs about 45 lbs,” he told the Cayman Compass in an interview ahead of the first public screenings of the movie, planned for Camana Bay later this month. “It is basically like tying your feet together and put- ting a concrete block on your toes. It is not safe unless you have had some training.” Enter Margaux Maes, daughter of underwater photographer Ellen Cuy- laerts and videographer Mi- chael Maes, who was the underwater cinematogra- pher for the movie. The 20-year-old had been effectively rehearsing for the mermaid role since she was 14, modeling in various photo shoots for her parents. “I was initially brought in as a stunt double to film the scenes with the tail, but after Frank E. saw the test footage my dad and I shot with the tail, he de- cided to cast me as the mer- maid,” she said. “To play a mermaid in a movie was fantastic. Finally this niche skill I had devel- oped since childhood paid off.” Mr. Flowers said he was surprised to learn that op- erating a mermaid tail re- quired such skill and that there was someone on is- land who had trained for years to perfect it. He was equally im- pressed to find enough talent in Cayman to fill his cast and crew with largely local faces. “Shooting in Cayman is not, logistically, the eas- iest thing to do,” said Mr. Flowers, who brought a Hol- lywood crew to the island to shoot his feature film “Haven,” starring Orlando Bloom and Zoe Saldana, in 2004. He said the latest project was a milestone for Cayman and showed what could be done with local talent. The movie was produced by Strike Twice Creative and Awesome Productions, which worked with seven different local film compa- nies to coordinate equip- ment rentals, fill crew roles and secure locations. Mr. Flowers said the production had involved a level of col- laboration never attempted before in Grand Cayman. “It was one of the hap- piest and most enthusi- astic sets I have ever worked on,” he added. One of the key mem- bers of the crew was an- other Cayman Islands exile working in the international film industry. Samuel Lan- caster, 23, has worked as a cinematographer on various movies and music videos in Australia and the U.S. Before the shoot, he ran a training session for the cast and crew on how a profes- sional movie set operates. Mr. Lancaster said he got his first taste of the excitement of the movie business when Frank E. Flowers visited his school, Cayman Prep, during the filming of “Haven.” “I remember hearing him speak and thinking, ‘this is what I want to do’. I was inspired by Frankie and what he did all those years ago,” he said. One of the final pieces of the jigsaw for this project fell into place when Garrett Hedlund, a respected Holly- wood star who appeared in the Oscar-nominated “Mud- bound” last year, signed on to play the lead character. “We were very lucky to get him,” Mr. Flowers said. “He comes to Cayman on vacation. He has a beau- tiful heart and wanted to give something back to the island.” The movie also stars English actress Juno Temple as well as local actors Chad Bodden, Shane Allenger and Stephen Ebanks. “Tocsin,” written and directed by Mr. Flowers, is the story of a musician who travels to a remote island studio in search of inspiration and discovers a much darker se- cret in the shallows. Mr. Flowers said it had been a fun experience that could eventually develop into a larger project. “We shot it to live on its own but the few people that have seen it were saying there is definitely a bigger movie here, so who knows,” he added. A premiere will be held on June 15 at Camana Bay including three consecutive screenings of the 12-minute movie and an after-party with cast and crew. Tickets are available from Camana Bay Discovery Centre or through Cayman Martial Arts at info@ caymanmartialarts.com. Proceeds go to the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. Ronnie Hughes assists mermaid Margaux Maes during a movie shoot.Actor Garrett Hedlund in a still from Frank E. Flowers’ new short movie ‘Tocsin.’ – PHOTOS: FRANK E. FLOWERS Cuba forms commission to update nation’s Soviet-era constitution HAVANA (AP) – Cuban legis- lators took the first step Sat- urday toward drafting a new constitution. President Miguel Diaz- Canel convened a special ses- sion of Cuba’s parliament to propose a list of people to undertake a rewrite of the So- viet-era charter. Delegates gave their ap- proval for a commission presided over by former President Raul Castro and comprised of some 30 others, including Diaz-Canel. “This gives rise to a pro- cess of particular impor- tance for the country and we must all be aware of the duty and the civic respon- sibility that this demands,” Diaz-Canel said to nearly 600 delegates at the Na- tional Assembly. There is no pending draft, but officials have made clear that the constitution will maintain a Communist Party- led system in which freedom of speech, the press and other rights are limited by “the pur- poses of socialist society.” One change expected to be adapted would limit presi- dents to two five-year terms and impose an age limit – a dramatic shift following a nearly 60-year run of lead- ership by Castro and his late brother Fidel, who both ruled into their 80s. Another possible change could reg- ulate private property in a limited way. The rewrite comes as the country’s communist leaders seek to adapt to an era in which hundreds of thou- sands of Cubans work for themselves, remittances help keep the economy afloat and the daughter of Communist Party chief Castro is cam- paigning for gay rights. Castro, who sat with del- egates during the session, asked members of the com- mission to start the revision process immediately. People walk past the Capitol Building in Havana, Cuba. Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel convened a special session of parliament Saturday to propose a list of people to undertake a rewrite of the constitution. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 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” MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS While on his whirlwind visit to Cayman last week, here to discuss both natural and man-made disasters, Lord Tariq Ahmad offered reassurance — and a bit of a reality check — regarding Parliament’s decision to compel Cayman and Britain’s other overseas territo- ries to create public registries of company ownership. Lord Ahmad, who is minister for the territories, understands the U.K.’s unique responsibilities to our jurisdictions. He arrived last Wednesday to review hur- ricane preparedness protocols and continue discus- sions of the beneficial ownership registries, which Parliament has decreed we must make public — volun- tarily or by force. This board has written voluminously of that betrayal, which began with a House of Commons amendment directing the U.K.’s overseas territories (but not Crown dependencies) to publish the private information of beneficial owners of companies reg- istered in their jurisdictions by Dec. 31, 2020. If they do not, Mother Britain will issue an order in council. A few weeks later, the House of Lords assented to the language in an act, it must be noted, Lord Ahmad did not support. As he told his peers in the House of Lords during their discussion of the Commons amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill last month, the act of compelling territories to open company registries by issuing an order in council would not only decimate our economies, it would run roughshod over our constitutions and disenfranchise our elected representatives. “Let me be absolutely clear,” he cautioned, “The overseas territories are British, but they are separate jurisdictions with their own democratically elected gov- ernments, responsible for their own fiscal matters and are not represented in this Parliament.” Despite his eloquent arguments, the Lords agreed to the bill’s wording, allowing the amendment to stand. During his visit, Lord Ahmad was appropriately candid about where we stand as a result of that decision. He realistically advised that there is no way to “undo” an act of Parliament. This is the path before us. He spoke to government’s plans to review the con- stitution, particularly Section 125, which grants Her Majesty’s government “reserved powers” to legis- late for our territory on local matters — effectively to override local control. Lord Ahmad advised that any proposals for consti- tutional change would be given “due consideration,” but warned that those reserved powers have tradition- ally been an important element for the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office in its agreements with overseas territories. “If there are issues [the territories] wish to raise about the constitution, we will look to address them,” he said, urging everyone to remain calm as events unfold. Certainly, we would have welcomed better news — a silver bullet, a way to hit “delete” on Parliament’s over- reaching decision. Still, we appreciate Lord Ahmad’s candor and willingness to “tell it straight.” By all accounts, Cayman and other offshore juris- dictions have a tough fight ahead of us. We need the facts in our arsenal. And we need friends in London, like Lord Ahmad, who will help our leaders realistically chart a path forward. Ownership registry: A clear picture of the fight ahead How to win a trade war For decades, China has waged a trade war, tar- geting U.S. industries and stealing jobs from ordinary American workers, while multinationals, Wall Street banks and the Ivy Leaguers and engineers they employ have been co-opted, made rich and used as advocates of appeasement to both Re- publican and Democratic administrations. President Obama’s weakness on trade – along with the left’s assault on religious liberty and ob- sessions with guns, race and gender – put Donald Trump in the White House. Unfortunately, his admin- istration appears clueless about how to win at nego- tiations with China, and the recent truce announced by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will not likely hold up. To win a trade war or any diplomatic skirmish – be it disarming North Korea, stifling Russian ag- gression or fixing unfair trade – the president needs to know the enemy, culti- vate allies and implement a strategy that imposes more costs on malefactors than on Americans. Mr. Trump’s hawks, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Na- tional Trade Council Di- rector Peter Navarro, con- fuse trade with the world and trade with China. The World Trade Organiza- tion (WTO) is not busted and our allies are not trade criminals. No Western govern- ment fully adheres to the free market ideal embodied in WTO rules, including ours. Its dispute settlement mechanism is there to de- cide when incidental con- tact becomes pass inter- ference – WTO panelists are no more perfect than NFL referees. The Middle Kingdom got rich with mercantilist practices that exploit its developing country status in the WTO. That permits higher tariffs and weaker adherence to other rules, but China is a powerhouse and merits no such spe- cial treatment. Its notorious industrial targeting – opaque admin- istrative barriers to im- ports that supplement high tariffs, extravagant pro- duction and export subsi- dies and criminal acquisi- tion of Western technology through compulsory joint ventures and outright pi- racy – is virtually impos- sible to police through WTO dispute settlement. It would be like prosecuting tens of thousands of white- collar criminals on Wall Street each year. Those are terribly difficult cases for government lawyers to win, even one at a time. America and our al- lies need a new deal with China. If Beijing wants to rig trade, then it must be balanced. Otherwise, China accumulates hun- dreds of billions of dollars it can use to buy influence through its Silk Road ini- tiative and acquire Western technology companies. Radical change does not require or even make ad- vantage in wrecking the WTO. In a chaotic world, China with its autocratic decision-making would be advantaged over the peace- time political processes of Western democracies. Sticking fingers in the eyes of NAFTA partners with ludicrous demands – a five-year sunset on a re- vised NAFTA and scuttling investor dispute settle- ment – and throwing the EU in with China on steel and aluminum when the real focus should be China, Korea, Turkey and a few others that flagrantly sub- sidize or trans-ship Chi- nese products are no way to win friends to finally confront China. And relying solely on targeted tariffs is dumb. China can quickly counter duties on $50 bil- lion or $100 billion of its exports by targeting U.S. farmers. Look at how Mr. Trump seems willing to sacrifice national secu- rity regarding ZTE phones in America to get relief for soybean and pork exporters for the midterm elections. Think of how inept and facile Washington looks to the Europeans for leaving that flank unguarded and then caving. Instead, Mr. Trump should impose an across- the-board measure sim- ilar to the 1971 import sur- charge imposed by Richard Nixon. Grant to U.S. ex- porters resalable quotas to import from China in pro- portion to sales there. The more China buys from America, the more America buys from China. Conversely, if it penalizes U.S. agricultural products, it sells less here. The scheme would elim- inate the special pleading of U.S. businesses for ex- emptions from proposed tariffs on Chinese goods – those that value imports more would bid the most to purchase licenses. Our allies are wor- ried about undermining the WTO and China di- verting its subsidized stuff to their markets, but our answer should be simple: Keep trading with China as we are and there will be no WTO worth having – Beijing will soon dic- tate the rules. China’s privateers are stealing European intel- lectual property and bread from the mouths of their workers, too. The Euro- peans can join the battle by imposing a similar re- gime, instead of harping, whining and criticizing as they are wont to do when- ever a Republican occupies the White House. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © The Washington Times, LLC PETER MORICI The Middle Kingdom got rich with mercantilist practices that exploit its developing country status in the WTO. That permits higher tariffs and weaker adherence to other rules, but China is a powerhouse and merits no such special treatment.5 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 187771_PRINT-Butterfield-3colx8-Page 1 5/29/18 4:03:59 PM Former Logic employee receives prison sentence for $57K theft Theft occurred over five-week period in 2013 SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former employee of cable and internet pro- vider Logic was sentenced Friday to three years and nine months imprison- ment for theft and making a false document. Cavenna Ellis was found to have stolen $57,872.99 and re-written deposit slips to cover her transgressions. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn read the facts of the case Friday before handing down her sentence. Ms. Ellis, who had been employed as an office pay- ables administrator for Logic, was convicted of making a series of fraudu- lent transactions over a five- week span in 2013. The magistrate said Friday Ms. Ellis was respon- sible for picking up funds from Logic stores and depos- iting them in the bank, and she systematically opened the bags, removed cash and re-wrote the deposit slips. The delay in deposits even- tually caught her supervisor’s attention, and Ms. Ellis sub- sequently confessed to Logic executives and to the police. Ms. Ellis would later re- cant that confession, but Magistrate Gunn found her account to police to be com- pelling. The magistrate said Friday that $37,770.23 is still outstanding, but she did not make a compensation order as part of her sentence. Logic will not be pre- vented from suing Ms. Ellis in civil court in an attempt to reclaim the missing funds, but because she will not have a source of income while incarcer- ated, the magistrate felt that a compensation order would represent an addi- tional penalty. “The vast majority of people with financial dif- ficulties do not resort to crime,” said Magistrate Gunn while reading her verdict. The magistrate said the de- fendant carried “the highest category of culpability,” for her offenses due to it being a breach of trust case and be- cause the crime necessitated a significant degree of plan- ning. Logic had been sup- portive of the employee, said the magistrate, by paying her tuition fees and being flexible with her hours when she went back to school while working. Ms. Ellis was sen- tenced to three years and 9 months for both the theft and making false documents, but the sentences will run concurrently. The magistrate found sev- eral mitigating factors while deliberating for her sentence. Ms. Ellis was previously thought to be of good char- acter and had several people vouch for her, and her so- cial inquiry report concluded she was a low risk of re- offending. Ms. Ellis is the only source of income for her family, because her hus- band is not allowed to work in Cayman due to his immi- gration status. The magistrate also found a few aggravating fac- tors. There was no indica- tion Ms. Ellis would have stopped her series of thefts, said the magistrate, and the number of transactions were significant. The magistrate also said Ms. Ellis sought to cast suspicion on other Logic employees. MLA Bernie Bush hospitalized BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com West Bay North MLA Bernie Bush is expected to undergo heart surgery at Health City Cayman Islands later this week. Cayman Islands Demo- cratic Party leader, Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush, confirmed to the Cayman Compass over the weekend that Mr. Bernie Bush had been admitted and that he was being updated periodi- cally on his condition. “We are praying for Bernie in this season of ill health,” the speaker said. It is understood Mr. Bernie Bush was admitted to the Health City facility Friday after doctors became concerned about a blockage around his heart. Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders said he vis- ited Mr. Bernie Bush Sat- urday at Health City and that he was doing fairly well under the circumstances. Mr. Saunders said Mr. Bernie Bush decided to go to the doctor after a student at West Bay Primary School told the West Bay MLA Thursday evening during an after-school event that he was not looking like him- self. After several tests at Health City, the blockages were discovered. “This kid saved [Bernie’s] life,” Mr. Saunders said. The MLA was first elected in 2013 and is now serving his second term in the Cayman Islands Legisla- tive Assembly. He is a former civil ser- vant and a local sports en- thusiast, a co-founder of West Bay football club Scholars In- ternational and is a founding member of Cayman’s Special Olympics Committee. He has also served on the National Drug Council, the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman and the former Immigration Board.Bernie Bush US citizen shot to death in Nicaragua amid unrest The magistrate said Friday Ms. Ellis was responsible for picking up funds from Logic stores and depositing them in the bank, and she systematically opened the bags, removed cash and re-wrote the deposit slips. MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) – A U.S. citizen was found shot to death in the capital Sat- urday as violence and so- cial unrest continue to grip Nicaragua. The body of Sixto Henry Vera was lying in a street beside two burned vehi- cles with a bullet wound to the head, the state fo- rensic medicine institute said. Employees at the Ma- nagua bar owned by Vera, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of repri- sals, said he left late Friday to help a friend who was being attacked. U.S. Ambassador Laura Dogu offered condolences via Twitter on Saturday to “the family of a U.S. citizen who died,” saying the death of a U.S. citizen is of “great concern” for the embassy. Vera’s death occurred at a tense time for Nicaragua. More than 110 people have been killed in the country since mid-April amid clashes between forces loyal to President Daniel Ortega and opposition groups de- manding his removal. Streets across the country are often de- serted after dark as armed groups circulate in vehi- cles without license plates, shooting and robbing. On Wednesday, more than a dozen people died in shootings that erupted around protests on Mother’s day in Nicaragua. Gunmen firing into crowds sent thousands of demonstra- tors running for cover at the marches, which were led by mothers of victims who died in recent protests. Civil society groups al- leged the attackers were members of paramilitary groups loyal to Ortega. Gov- ernment officials blamed the opposition groups. Residents in several cities have organized watch groups with barricades. The Red Cross reported that two people manning barricades in Masaya were fatally shot Saturday. “I beg the people of my city, Masaya, to not go out onto the street and to protect themselves in their homes, the situation is very dan- gerous,” Managua’s auxil- iary Roman Catholic bishop, Silvio Baez, said via Twitter. Leading businessmen in Nicaragua have proposed moving up the presidential election that is now sched- uled for 2021. Ortega has been president since 2007. “I beg the people of my city, Masaya, to not go out onto the street and to protect themselves in their homes.” SILVIO BAEZ, auxiliary Roman Catholic bishop It is understood Mr. Bernie Bush was admitted to the Health City facility Friday after doctors became concerned about a blockage around his heart. 6 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Golden Apple honors Cayman’s educators Twelve of Cayman’s most outstanding teachers from local and private schools were honored at the 2018 Golden Apple Awards on Saturday, May 26. Before a crowd of nearly 200 people at The Ritz- Carlton, Grand Cayman, Chamber of Commerce Pres- ident Paul Byles said he was encouraged by the turnout in support of the educa- tion profession. “Education is one of the most important aspects of our community, and edu- cators have the unenviable task of shaping the leaders of tomorrow,” he said. The major award winner of the evening was Nimmi Sekhar, recipient of the Life- time Achievement award. Ms. Sekhar of Cayman International School was recognized for 33 years of service in education. She re- ceived a standing ovation as she accepted her award. “I feel very privileged to have been a part of the school, and the excellent school community that we have in the Cayman Is- lands,” Ms. Sekhar said. “I consider this recog- nition and this honor as a jewel in the crown of my professional life.” For primary public schools, Shakeina Bush of Sir John A. Cumber Primary School took home the Golden Apple. Heather Thompson of Lighthouse School was the honorary runner-up. “I hope, as I stand here tonight, I inspire young Cay- manians who are unsure about being a teacher in the future. If it’s your calling, the calling of your heart, go for it,” Ms. Bush said. Emily Garvey of St. Igna- tius Catholic School won the category for primary pri- vate schools, with Asynthia Lewis of First Baptist Chris- tian School as runner-up. “My students are incred- ible, just as all students are. Their love of learning, their happiness, and their resil- ience is really important to me as a teacher. It’s not just about academic success, it’s about them knowing in their hearts and their minds that, no matter what life throws at them, they have that re- silience and that confidence to succeed,” Ms. Garvey said. For public high schools, Patrice Douglas-Hanson of John Gray High School won with Denise Henry- Colquhoon of Clifton Hunter High School as runner-up. “I’ve always said that teaching, for me, started out as an accident,” Ms. Douglas-Hanson said. “Reflecting on my journey in teaching has given me reason to believe that my place in the classroom has been anything but acci- dental. I’ve met some fan- tastic students and worked with some terrific people along the way.” For private high schools, Coaine Richards of St. Ig- natius Catholic School took home the Golden Apple. Bill LaMonte of Cayman International School was the runner-up. “I take great pride in knowing I have chosen the right profession because every day I enter the class- room, I have an opportunity to make a difference in this world through the next gen- eration,” Mr. Richards said. Three finalists – Marcia Rennie (Edna M. Moyle Pri- mary School), Mable Rich- ardson (Triple C High School) and April Tibbetts (West End Primary School) – were considered for the top principal of a public or private school. Ms. Rennie won the category. “One of the questions I was asked on my inter- view was ‘what would you tell someone going into teaching?’ I said I’d tell them it wasn’t an easy job. I’d tell them it was often a thankless job. But I’d tell them it was always a re- warding one,” she said. Nimmi Sekhar took home the Lifetime Achievement award. “I consider this recognition and this honor as a jewel in the crown of my professional life.” NIMMI SEKHAR, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award Puerto Rico sues for Hurricane Maria death data SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Puerto Rico’s Institute of Statistics an- nounced Friday that it has sued the U.S. territory’s health department and demographic registry seeking to obtain data on the number of deaths following Hurricane Maria as a growing number of critics ac- cuse the government of lacking transparency. The lawsuit was filed Thursday, the same day Puerto Rico Gov. Ri- cardo Rossello told CNN there would be “hell to pay” if officials don’t release mortality data. Puerto Rico’s Health Department released some information Friday, saying an additional 1,397 overall deaths were reported from September to December in 2017, compared with the same period the previous year. However, officials did not pro- vide causes of death for any of the 11,459 total people deceased during the period. The institute’s director, Mario Marazzi-Santiago, told The Associ- ated Press that he was pleased with the information released, but that the lawsuit will continue because officials have not released details of each individual death. Many believe the official toll of 64 deaths is a severe undercount, and anger is building across the island as the families of victims seek answers. “We demand that they tell us ev- erything,” said Lucy Landro, who lives on the island of Vieques off Puerto Rico’s east coast and lost her elderly uncle after the hurri- cane hit. “People should know the reality that all towns are facing. We in Vieques aren’t the only ones who are suffering.” Marazzi-Santiago said the infor- mation requested should be public and is urgently needed so Puerto Rico’s government can help pre- vent deaths in the event of another storm, noting that the Atlantic hur- ricane season began on Friday. “We want to make sure that when the next hurricane arrives, we don’t have a repeat of this situ- ation,” he said. He said the institute previously won a similar lawsuit it filed in 2010 to obtain mortality data from the health department amid accu- sations that the government was not properly counting or classifying overall deaths. “Given the doubt that has arisen around the world … we recommend a higher level of transparency,” Marazzi-Santiago said. Government officials have previ- ously said they cannot release mor- tality data post-Maria because it is under review as ordered by the gov- ernor. On Friday afternoon, Demo- graphic Registry Director Wanda Llovet said in a statement that her office is being transparent and that not all information is public be- cause they have to protect people’s privacy. Her office said there was a 24 percent increase in overall deaths in September 2017 compared with the same month the previous year, along with a 29 percent increase in October 2017 and an 8 percent in- crease in November 2017. A Harvard study published ear- lier this week estimates that there were up to 4,600 more deaths than usual in the three months after Hur- ricane Maria, although some in- dependent experts questioned the methods and the number in that study. Previous studies have found that the number of direct and in- direct hurricane-related deaths is higher than the official toll, in- cluding a 2017 report that said there were nearly 500 more deaths than usual on the island in September. A spokeswoman for the island’s health department, which oversees the demographic registry, did not respond to a message for comment. In February, Puerto Rico’s gov- ernor said a team of experts at George Washington University would lead an independent review to determine the number of deaths caused by Maria. A preliminary re- port was due in May, but the team was granted more time. Arden Dragoni holds a printed photo taken on Oct. 5, 2017 that shows him with his wife Sindy, three children and dog Max, amid the remains of his home that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria. His wife and his children live in a FEMA subsidized apartment, and he lives with his father. - PHOTO: AP Marcia Rennie of Edna M. Moyle Primary School won the Golden Apple for top school principal. “We want to make sure that when the next hurricane arrives, we don’t have a repeat of this situation.” MARIO MARAZZI-SANTIAGO, Institute of Statistics directorThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 *Limited time only. Conditions apply. ™ Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. Now that’s something to get excited about. Rates as low as 4.5%* on a 3 year fixed mortgage! It starts with You.™ Contact us today! Call 949 7666 or visit your nearest branch. the bidders contacted by the Compass during the weekend assumed all companies in- volved had done so. According to informa- tion provided to the Cayman Compass, the successful bid- ders included Tortuga Rum Company, Island Compa- nies, Jacques Scott, Kirk Freeport and Island Taste (including the Hungry Horse restaurant). It was understood those five companies received a col- lective total of 10 of the avail- able concessions spaces at the new departures terminal. Tortuga Rum Company founder Robert Hamaty said Sunday that, while his group did not get all the spaces it bid for, he was happy the long, drawn-out concessions bid process seemed to be over. “We’re happy it has come to a close and we’re looking forward to moving as fast as possible for the grand opening in December 2018,” Mr. Hamaty said. Ken Thompson, owner of Island Taste, said he was glad to know that Hungry Horse – serving airport users for more than 50 years – could continue to operate under the new lease arrangements. Gerry Kirkconnell of Kirk Freeport and Matt Bishop, rep- resenting Island Companies, also both confirmed their re- spective entities had received spaces in the new conces- sions facilities. Mr. Bishop said he was also glad the matter appeared to have been resolved. “It seemed like the whole request for proposals thing was a bit of a storm in a teacup,” he said. runway and provide access for other emergency operations. Governor Anwar Choud- hury was on hand to watch the equipment being un- loaded on Governors Beach in his backyard. He said it is important to have the an- nual exercise. “You can never be over pre- pared,” Mr. Choudhury said. “If we get hit by a category 5 (hurricane) or a storm surge or a tsunami, we’re going to need help and we need a plan. The British Navy is ready to provide that.” Mr. Selby said the Mounts Bay has a contingency of 180 personnel on board and in an anticipated hit from a hur- ricane more crewmembers, such as medical personnel, can be added. The ship is equipped to handle up to 450 crewmembers and even more people in an emergency. “If we wish to evacuate people, I can take 3,500 for a few hours,” Mr. Selby said. “They’d all be standing up.” The ship will do a sim- ilar drill in July in Anguilla, Mr. Selby said. Before that, it will participate in a Carib- beanwide international mil- itary exercise. And while it is tasked with responding to natural disasters, the crew will not simply be sitting around waiting for a hurri- cane to strike. “A lot of the time, we’ll be doing counter-narcotics work,” Mr. Selby said. The Mounts Bay, one of three ships of its class in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, is sched- uled to remain in the Carib- bean until 2020, when it will end a three-year tour here. Prison clean-up Once on land, the Mounts Bay sailors drove a convoy of heavy equipment over to Her Majesty’s Prison, Northward to assist in a clean-up effort around the prison grounds. The crew used a bulldozer and other heavy equipment to clear bush land in the back of the prison property. The heavily forested area is often used as a hiding place for in- dividuals who toss illegal drugs and other contraband over the security fence. “They’re cleaning up the weeds to ensure there is no weed,” Governor Choudhury said. The clean-up effort around the prison, which was also done in 2017, is also part of an effort to familiarize the sailors with the surround- ings in case a natural di- saster occurs. “There will be police sur- rounding this prison, there will be U.K. forces sur- rounding this prison,” the gov- ernor said. “What we can’t be doing is making it up while we’re in disaster situations.” Airport notifies bid winners of concessions contracts According to information provided to the Cayman Compass, the successful bidders included Tortuga Rum Company, Island Companies, Jacques Scott, Kirk Freeport and Island Taste (including the Hungry Horse restaurant). CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Emergency support ship hits Cayman beach CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Heavy equipment is loaded off RFA Mounts Bay during an emergency- response activity on Governors Beach. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS The Royal Navy works on clearing brush around Northward Prison as part of a disaster-response exercise. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY RFA Mounts Bay crew work and train in Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The RFA Mounts Bay crew stands in the grounds by Northward Prison during a ground-clearing exercise. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, which staffed up its Traffic and Roads Po- licing Unit to 13 officers, led by Inspector Ian Year- wood, last year. The traffic unit has re- corded an increased number of collisions, particularly on the weekends in Grand Cayman, since last year. Ac- cording to traffic statistics, the number of vehicle acci- dents more than doubled be- tween 2016 and 2017. The number of arrests for various traffic offenses has also seen an uptick since the start of this year. For in- stance, in just one week, be- tween May 7 and May 13, police issued 66 speeding tickets and made 11 arrests for drunken driving. “We hope that it is clear to the public that this is the new normal for traffic en- forcement,” said Inspector Yearwood. “We will continue to target and prosecute those who use the roads in an un- safe manner in order to deter others from doing so.” Four injured Three women and one man were all hospitalized early Saturday following a one-car wreck along the Es- terley Tibbetts Highway at the southern end of a con- struction site where the two- lane portion of the road is being widened to four. Two remained hospitalized as of Sunday afternoon. One critically injured fe- male passenger was initially taken to Cayman Islands Hos- pital, but later transferred to Health City in East End. A male passenger remained in critical condition Sunday in George Town. The other two women in the vehicle were treated and released Saturday. Police said it appeared the vehicle involved veered off the road at a bend north of the Lakeside apartment com- plex and smashed into a bull- dozer that was parked in the grass just off the main lanes. The smash was one of three serious vehicle acci- dents that happened in the overnight period between Friday night and Saturday morning. Details on the other two incidents were not avail- able by press time. According to traffic statistics, the number of vehicle accidents more than doubled between 2016 and 2017. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A one-car crash along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway Saturday morning left four people hospitalized, two in critical condition. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Crashes claim 6 lives in 4 months A STORYBOOK ENDING? RESCUED WRITER GETS THE GIRL, SETS SAIL PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – A novelist who was twice res- cued at sea has sailed 7,000 trouble-free miles and en- visions a storybook ending to his journey. Michael Hurley is com- pleting a voyage from France to the Caribbean to North America with a first mate who is engaged to be his wife. Then he’s em- barking on a new adven- ture by putting his boat into storage, getting married and moving to England. The 60-year-old Hurley, who sold his North Caro- lina law firm so he could sail and write, has traveled far since he was plucked from his storm-battered sailboat by the student crew of the Maine Maritime Academy training vessel in 2015. It was the second time he had been rescued and lost his boat. Despite the bad luck, his wanderlust remained unful- filled, and he soon purchased a final sailboat. He signaled his intentions by naming it Nevermore. This time, his luck changed. He found love while in the United Kingdom writing “The Passage,” a book that drew from his ex- perience of being rescued. His fiancee, Jill Gormley, of London, said she had never been sailing before meeting him. Her introduction was a four-week sail to St. Lucia. “We didn’t have a single argument in 28 days,” Gormley said, despite cramped quarters, canned food and an early bout of seasickness. Gormley, who ran a pro- gram for schoolchildren with special needs, was up for an adventure. The challenge, the 56-year-old Gormley said, was overcoming fear. “I wasn’t bored. We chatted, played guitar, watched dolphins. Every- thing was new and exciting. The challenge was just not to be scared and trust that we were not going to sink,” she said in a telephone in- terview from Charleston, South Carolina. Michael Hurley poses aboard a sailboat. Hurley, a novelist, has completed a 7,000-mile trouble-free sail that will be capped off with a wedding in London. - PHOTO: MICHAEL HURLEY VIA AP Florida school honors 4 slain seniors at graduation SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – The se- nior class from the Florida high school where 17 people died in February’s gun mas- sacre held graduation ceremo- nies Sunday afternoon, with the focus on honoring four students slain in the attack. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School will present diplomas to the fam- ilies of Nicholas Dworet, Joa- quin Oliver, Meadow Pollack, and Carmen Schentrup at the event that began about 2 p.m. The school principal, Ty Thompson, underscored the honors to the four slain stu- dents in a tweet Sunday. “Remember those not with us, and celebrate all the successes the Class of 2018 has brought to the community and the world!” Thompson tweeted. The ceremony for the 784 members of the Class of 2018 was being held at the BB&T Center, where the National Hockey League’s Florida Pan- thers play. It was moved to the arena to accommodate the expected large crowd. The Broward School Dis- trict is keeping the event pri- vate. Only invited guests will be admitted, and the media has been barred from in- side the arena. Fourteen students and three staff members died in the Feb. 14 attack. A former Stoneman Douglas student, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, is charged with their deaths and the wounding of 17. His attor- neys have said he will plead guilty in exchange for a sen- tence of life without parole. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Some parents of slain stu- dents said they would not at- tend graduation. Andrew Pollack, the father of Meadow Pollack, said he is too emotionally spent to at- tend the ceremony. Meadow’s brother, boyfriend and cousins will accept her diploma. Her brother, Hunter Pollack, made his feelings about the day known on Twitter. “Today is the day my sister has been waiting for. Gradua- tion where she would’ve been getting her diploma and be on her way to attend college. This is a sad day, as I will be walking stage to get her di- ploma for her,” his post says. Andrew Pollack has been an outspoken critic of school and law enforcement officials, saying they failed to protect his daughter and the others, but that is not why he is staying away. “It has nothing to do with them,” Pollack told The Asso- ciated Press by phone Sunday. “I’ve just been dead inside since Feb. 14.” Instead, he is headed to central Florida where he will be addressing this week the armed guards one district has hired for its schools. April Schentrup, whose daughter Carmen Schentrup was among the 17 killed in the shooting, posted a photo of Carmen wearing her gradu- ation gown and cap, the Sun- Sentinel reported. “For me, it is too painful to celebrate w/o Carmen,” she said in an online post. “But I am proud of Carmen’s friends & classmates on their accom- plishments. They’ve overcome so much. I know they will cont to make positive changes.” As families arrived for the ceremony, gunshots from a nearby public shooting range could be heard echoing over the parking lot. This Feb. 19, 2018 photo shows Chris Grady, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, sitting at a memorial for those slain in the Feb. 14 massacre, in Parkland, Florida. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018 9 migrants drown off Turkey coast Nine migrants drowned in a boat accident off Turkey’s Mediterranean coast Sunday morning. In Spain, the maritime rescue service rescued 240 people, but one person drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean from Africa. _________________________________ Shelise Jeffery - Business Licensing Officer II Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman Any member of the public who wishes to object to the aforementioned must do so in writing to the Chairman at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting. Anyone who has given to the Chairman seven days’ notice of objection may also appear and ask for the revocation or discontinuance of any existing license. A) 1981 BREWING COMPANY LIMITED Business: RETAIL Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 20B, Parcel 210, 273 Dorcy Drive, George Town B) CB CINEMAS LTD Business: RETAIL Location: Block 12D, Parcel 95, Camana Bay, George Town C) TUKKA RESTAURANT LTD Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 75A, Parcel 151, 365 Austin Conolly Dr, East End D) DFLM MANAGEMENT LTD. Business: RESTAURANT Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 12C, Parcel 261, 43 Canal Pointe Dr, West Bay E) PREMIER RETAIL LIMITED Business: RETAIL Location: Block 14D, Parcel 439, Cayman Technology Centre, Unit A1 & A2, 115 Printers Way, George Town F) ADULT RECREATION ASSOCIATION LTD. Business: RETAIL Location: Block 15B, Parcel 326, 413 Fair Banks Rd, South Sound, George Town G) PETER DUTTON Business: RETAIL Location: Block 73A, Parcel 102, Unit 4,5 & 6, Morritts Shopping Plaza, Colliers, East End H) PETER DUTTON Business: RETAIL Location: Block 5C, Parcel 412, Unit #1, 2357 West Bay Road, West Bay I) PETER DUTTON Business: RETAIL Location: Block 28D, Parcel 319,Bldg1, Units K-2,K-3, K-4, Countryside Shopping Village, 33 Hirst Rd, Bodden Town J) LUCILLE BARNES Business: RETAIL Location: Block 14BJ, Parcel 7, Building 60A, Unit #5, Boilers Road, George Town K) 1981 BREWING COMPANY LIMITED. Business: RETAIL Location: Block 20B, Parcel 210, 273 Dorcy Drive, George Town L) ROBERT & SYLVIA HAMATY Business: RETAIL Location: Block 14D, Parcel 406 H9, Pasadora Place, Phase 1, George Town M) WALKERS ROAD SERVICE LTD. Business: RETAIL Location: Block 15B, Parcel 365, 435 Walkers Road, George Town N) MCRUSS GROUP LTD. Business: RETAIL Location: Block 14C, Parcel 180, 125 Eastern Avenue, George Town O) TREASURE ISLE ENTERPRISE LTD Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 13D Parcel 43H4, 190 Eastern Avenue, George Town P) CAYMAN FIVE STAR CHARTERS LIMITED Business: RETAIL (VESSEL) Location: Block 14BH, Parcel 165, Bayshore Centre, 3rd Floor, 31 WarWick Drive, George Town Q) BLACKBEARDS TRADING COMPANY LIMITED. Business: RETAIL Location: Block 11D, Parcel 36/1, Cayman Falls, West Bay R) BLACKBEARDS TRADING COMPANY LIMITED Business: RETAIL Location: Block 12E, Parcel, 95, Buckingham Square, West Bay Road, West Bay S) BLACKBEARDS TRADING COMPANY LIMITED Business: RETAIL Location: Block 13B, Parcel 203, West Bay Beach South, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 3. Ratification of Section 13 Decisions 4. Closed Deliberations 5. Announcement of Decisions 6. Adjournment 1. Confirmation of minutes - Minutes of the 26th of March 2018 2. Grant applications: Applicants shall attend before the Board at the time of the opening of the sessions and such other times as the Board may require and may, in addition, be represented by a person qualified to practice law in the Islands. LIQUOR LICENSING QUARTERLY SESSION Tuesday, 26 June 2018, at 1:30pm, Government Administration Building, Room 2024, Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands European Union in flux as US alliance creaks, populists rise FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – Certainties Europe has re- lied on for decades seem to be crumbling: that the U.S. is a reliable trade partner, and that the founding members of the EU all remain com- mitted to the bloc. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tar- iffs on European steel and aluminum, dismissing Eu- rope’s pleas, and an anti-EU populist government took of- fice in Italy. Added to Brit- ain’s expected departure next year from the European Union, the milestones show a region entering a new state of flux, with potential implica- tions for the prosperity of its people and global relations. “Germany and France should very quickly show joint political leadership now,” said Daniela Schwarzer, director of the German Council on Foreign Relations. That role would belong in large part to Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Emmanuel Macron when it comes to strengthening Eu- rope’s currency union. Col- lectively, the EU could seek to ease worries about trade by strengthening commercial ties with other partners like Japan, China and countries in South America. But the trade relation- ship with the U.S. is the big- gest in the world, and will be hard to make up for, if the U.S. and EU escalate their spat by imposing counter-tar- iffs on each other. “The situa- tion is worrying, it could es- calate,” said the EU’s trade chief, Cecilia Malmstrom, adding that the tariffs could hurt global economic growth. “The United States is playing a dangerous game.” The EU officials were far more cautious in their reac- tion to the political situa- tion in Italy, for fear of fur- ther provoking supporters of the new government led by the anti-establishment 5 Star Movement and the anti- immigration the League. But they were likely not less wor- ried, having seen European financial markets plunge this week on Italy’s po- litical chaos. Law professor and po- litical neophyte Giuseppe Conte was sworn in Friday as the head of Italy’s popu- list government. The two par- ties plan tax cuts and more spending, including a basic income for the poor, that would likely clash with EU limits on deficits. An initial failure to agree with Presi- dent Sergio Mattarella on a government led to a sharp sell-off in Italian markets Monday and Tuesday. The parties’ rise to power in Italy will be a blow to sup- porters of the EU, as it could embolden anti-EU parties, which have won elections in some countries in Eastern Europe, like Hungary and Poland. And it comes just as the EU enters a key six months of negotiations with Britain on the country’s exit from the bloc. To stir things up a bit more, Spain’s govern- ment lost a no-confidence vote Friday and conserva- tive Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was replaced by so- cialist Pedro Sanchez. The developments leave other EU leaders looking for a strategy ahead of a summit on June 28-29. The meeting was originally supposed to agree on how to strengthen the EU and the euro based on proposals from Ma- cron, whose election victory in May 2017 over nation- alist euroskeptic opponent Marine Le Pen gave a tem- porary sense that the tide of populist discontent had been turned back. Hopes for an agreement at the summit have nar- rowed to a few issues, such as upgrading the eurozone’s bailout fund for troubled countries. Others have been rejected or kicked into the long weeds because coun- tries like Germany fear of sharing financial risk with shakier members. The European Commis- sion has proposed a 30 bil- lion euro fund to help trou- bled eurozone countries with investment spending over a seven-year period. German Chancellor Angela Merkel walks with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa before their meeting at the Foz palace in Lisbon last week. - PHOTO: AP ROME (AP) – Italy’s new populist leaders commem- orated the founding of the Italian republic by attending a pomp-filled military pa- rade Saturday – and then promised to get to work creating jobs and expel- ling migrants. “The free ride is over,” League leader Matteo Sal- vini, Italy’s new interior min- ister, warned migrants at a rally in northern Italy. “It’s time to pack your bags.” The pledge of mass de- portations to come was a reminder that Italy has a staunchly anti-immigrant, right-wing party in its gov- erning coalition – and that the European Union will face a whole new partner governing its fourth- largest economy. Earlier, Salvini joined Pre- mier Giuseppe Conte and the rest of the newly sworn-in Cabinet to view the Republic Day parade. Italy’s aero- nautic acrobatic squad flew low and loud over downtown Rome trailing smoke in the red, white and green of the Italian flag. The national pride on dis- play is a feature of every Re- public Day, but it took on a particular significance this year after Italy on Friday ended three months of po- litical and financial tur- moil and swore in a govern- ment whose populist and euroskeptic leanings have alarmed Europe. Conte’s Cabinet was sworn in after a last-minute deal averted the threat of a new election that could have turned into a referendum on whether Italy stayed with the shared European euro currency. The political sta- bility relieved financial mar- kets on Friday but Italy’s Eu- ropean neighbors continued to express concerns about the euroskeptic bent and the heavy spending agenda of Italy’s new government. On Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned Conte and invited him to visit soon. Merkel’s office said both leaders em- phasized the importance of continued close bilat- eral cooperation. Conte has so far left policy specifics to the drivers of his improbable rise, his two deputies: Salvini and 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio. Di Maio, the new eco- nomic development min- ister, reported for work after the parade to his ministry, which would have otherwise been closed for the holiday. NEW ITALIAN GOVERNMENT VOWS TO CREATE JOBS, DEPORT MIGRANTS Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte greets citizens during a celebration for Italy’s Republic Day at in Rome. - PHOTO: ANSANext >