High of 88 Low of 76 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SHIFT ROAD SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT INTO A MUCH HIGHER GEAR LOCAL | PAGE 8 MAN FALSELY CLAIMS TO HAVE KILLED HIS WIFE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 187818_PRINT-Ad-Strip-Compass-FiPage 1 4/20/18 11:54:13 AM COURT HEARING BEGINS FOR TELECOM FIBER NETWORK DISPUTE KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com A judicial review hearing began on Monday over a dispute between Caribbean Utilities Company subsidiary DataLink and the Utility Regulation and Competition Office, known as OfReg. The case revolves around a long- standing issue that telecommunications offi- cials say is delaying the islandwide rollout of broadband internet. DataLink is challenging a 2017 decision by OfReg that prohibits it from charging telecoms companies fees to reserve unused space on its telephone poles, and ordered it to refund reservation fees that have been charged in the past. At Monday’s hearing, DataLink attorney Helen Mountfield, QC, outlined a roughly 13- year history that led to the OfReg decision and Datalink’s subsequent challenge. In 2005, the telecom company C3 entered the internet market with a licensing agree- ment that required it to rollout a fiber-optic cable network throughout the entire island within 18 months. C3 struck a pole-use agree- ment with CUC – DataLink did not exist at the time – but did not roll out its fiber network. By 2012, Digicel and Logic had also entered the internet market, and those companies also wanted space on DataLink’s poles to roll out their fiber network. Flow already has a cable network islandwide, having been in existence before the other companies. Sources: Watson arrested again in football funds probe A Jeep overturned Monday when another vehicle collided with it at the exit to the three-lane roundabout outside Camana Bay. The Jeep rolled into a nearby median and landed upside down. The driver did not appear to be injured. The second vehicle, a truck, sustained front-end damage, but its driver was also unhurt. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Jeep overturns in crash BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands busi- nessman Canover Watson was arrested Monday by officers from the Anti-Cor- ruption Commission, the Cayman Compass has con- firmed through numerous official sources. A statement on the ar- rest made by the commis- sion noted that a 47-year- old male had been arrested on suspicion of two of- fenses under the Anti-Cor- ruption Law, including money laundering and con- spiracy to defraud under the common law. The commission noted that Monday’s arrest was in relation to earlier arrests made on June 29 and 30, 2017, connected to an on- going probe. The probe in- volved US$1.2 million in funds that were contro- versially “loaned” to the Cayman Islands Football As- sociation in 2013. Both Mr. Watson and former association vice president Bruce Blake were arrested in connection with the anti-corruption probe al- most a year ago, but as far as the Compass is aware, neither man has ever been charged in that case. Mr. Blake’s attorney, Steve McField, released a statement about his client’s Cayman kicks off 60th anniversary celebration MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com A yearlong celebration of Cayman Is- lands culture kicked off Monday morning on the front lawn of the Glass House. Under overcast skies, about 300 people attended the outdoor event marking the 60th anniversary of Cayman’s coat of arms. Shade banners with the colors of the na- tional flag – red, white and blue – rippled overhead. The speakers, who included Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin and Governor Anwar Choudhury, were backed by a large illustration of the 60th anniversary logo. Deal Ebanks helped set the tone by giving three blasts on a conch shell. The signal, he said, was a traditional announce- ment for the return of the islands’ fish- ermen. “It lets people know that there is fish available,” he told the crowd, “but it also an- nounces their safe return.” Monday’s event recounted the story of the coat of arms and the history of the Cayman Islands at that time. Mr. McLaughlin called it a “celebration of our incredible journey as three small islands that have emerged from relative obscurity onto the world’s stage.” He said it was appropriate to recognize the coat of arms as “our first internationally recognized symbol of identity.” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Governor Anwar Choudhury presents the Royal Warrant to Cayman Islands government ministers at a celebration of the country’s coat of arms on Monday. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY JUNE 5, 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. - TUESDAY - 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 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: DIRTY HARRY (R) 7:00 VIP 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 9:30 Family dreams up 10K race to promote mobility SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Shan Harriman is finding ways for her daughter Lexi to fly. Ms. Harriman and Lexi, 10, participated in the Au- tism Awareness Walk/Run in April, and now they are staging a fundraising race of their own to allow them to continue in their fa- vorite pursuit. The 10K race, dubbed Wings For Lexi, will take place on Sunday, June 24, at 6:30 a.m., and Ms. Harriman hopes to raise enough money to buy a racing wheelchair for her daughter. The chair costs US$4,000, but it will allow Ms. Harriman and Lexi to keep running together and to set an example for count- less families. “I think that this race and raising funds for another chair is really all about in- clusion and ensuring that members of our community with disabilities can partici- pate in sporting events,” said Ms. Harriman of the ulti- mate mission. “But on a per- sonal note, for me, it’s about the smile on my daughter’s face and the beam in her eyes from being able to run and being part of an energetic group of people.” Ms. Harriman was in- spired by local endurance athlete Scott Ruby, who ran assisted marathons with Nikki Christian, who lives with cerebral palsy. Their team is known as Nikki’s Voice. The Harrimans bor- rowed Mr. Ruby’s and Ms. Christian’s chair to partici- pate in the autism awareness race and again at the Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge. They hope a new racing wheelchair will allow them to run more often. “To be honest, I would give him the most credit,” Ms. Harriman said of Mr. Ruby. “I definitely want to con- tinue running with Lexi, and I definitely would like to get our own chair. We just kind of came together and said, ‘Well, how about we do a fundraiser?’ That’s how the idea was born.” The race will take place near the Kimpton Seafire. Participants will run by the Kimpton up the old West Bay Road, over the Kimpton bridge and back around the loop six times. Ms. Harriman and Lexi have already begun training on the course, and they believe it will be a diffi- cult but fun endeavor. “It’s quite challenging, that uphill slope,” she said. “Once you clear it, coming down is smooth sailing.” The race will be held early in the morning, which might limit participation, but Ms. Harriman believes there will be many members of the local CrossFit community that will come out to sup- port the cause. The race is free to join, and there will not be any prizes or T-shirts as a token for participation. But Ms. Harriman hopes that people will join it to be active and to inspire others along the way. “I’m hoping it will stimu- late our community,” she said. “Maybe it’s something where parents can get involved with their kids who aren’t mobile. They can get them out and get them involved in sport activities, and it’s always a great way to build a bond with your child. Sometimes it’s hard during the week, but if you can spend quality time doing something your kids love, that’s important.” As for Lexi, she is just as excited as her mom about the project. “When we drive over the Kimpton bridge, she says, ‘Run, run!’” Ms. Harriman said. “We go there running in the morning. The team we run with has really em- braced her. On Sunday morn- ings, we run that same road, and after, we ask ‘What are we grateful for?’ on the beach. She loves sitting there and listening to other people. I try to get her to be social with other people and the team is so accepting.” People interested in contributing to the cause can check out the Wings for Lexi page on www.caymanactive.com/events/710-lexi/ photos/7061-wingsforlexi. Governor names two judges to Court of Appeal Governor Anwar Choud- hury announced Monday that Sir Michael Birt and Sir Jack Beatson will be the newest appointees to the Cayman Is- lands Court of Appeal. The Judicial and Legal Services Commission carried out an open recruitment pro- cess in February and March, and an initial shortlist of five candidates were se- lected. Those candidates went through an interview pro- cess and ultimately Justices Birt and Beatson were recom- mended to the governor. “It is my distinct privi- lege to appoint Sir Michael and Sir Jack as Justices in the Cayman Islands,” said Mr. Choudhury in an offi- cial statement. “The exper- tise and caliber of the Court of Appeal, and indeed our ju- diciary, continues to flourish with the appointment of highly qualified individuals such as these. “I am grateful to the JLSC for their continued recruitment efforts and I look forward to welcoming Sir Michael and Sir Jack to the Cayman Islands in due course.” Both of the new appoin- tees will begin their Cayman tenure in November. Justice Birt attended Magdalene College at Cam- bridge University from 1966- 1969 and obtained a degree in law before being called to the English Bar in 1970. He practiced as a barrister and was appointed as a Crown Advocate in 1987. He was sworn in as Attorney General for Jersey in 1994. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1995 and later served as Deputy Bailiff and Bai- liff of Jersey. Justice Beatson was a member of the Court of Ap- peal of England and Wales from January 2013 to February 2018. He was called to the bar in 1973 and named Queen’s Counsel in 1998. He served as Fellow and Tutor of Law at Merton College at Oxford be- tween 1973 and 1994 and as a Rouse Ball Professor of Eng- lish Law at Cambridge Uni- versity from 1994 until 2003. “For me, it’s about the smile on my daughter’s face and the beam in her eyes from being able to run and being part of an energetic group of people.” SHAN HARRIMAN Sir Jack BeatsonSir Michael Birt Shan and Lexi Harriman pose at the Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge in April. US Coast Guard ship in port A U.S. Coast Guard vessel is on a brief port call in George Town this week. Port officials said the vessel came in over the weekend for refueling and a short break and was expected to leave port sometime on Tuesday. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 5, 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. TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Police Commissioner Derek Byrne recently announced a three-year plan for Cayman Islands law enforcement, including a substantial increase in traffic enforcement operations. When it comes to roadways and highways, we rarely advise greater speed, but in this instance, we urge Commissioner Byrne to put the pedal to the metal. As the Compass has reported, from Feb. 15 to May 30, six people died as a result of injuries sustained in auto accidents – just one short of the total number of road-related fatalities in all of 2017. Last weekend, three serious collisions sent several people to the hospital, including two in critical condition. In 2015, Cayman had a traffic fatality rate of 18 per 100,000 people – far above the rate of Great Britain (3.8) or the United States (10.9), even though people in those locales log many more miles on roads with much higher speed limits. And while traffic deaths tend to generate the largest headlines, the more relevant statistic is the number of overall traffic accidents. These statistics are both revealing and troubling: Over the past two years, the number of traffic acci- dents in Cayman DOUBLED – 2,725 in 2017, up from 1,295 collisions the previous year. No single cause is readily identifiable. Some attribute the increase to variables such as an increase in the number of cars on the road, the number of ongoing construction projects, declining standards in vehicle conditions, antisocial driver behavior, etc. What we do know is that far too many serious accidents in Cayman share several common factors, almost as if following a template or a script: A single car, an inebriated driver, a high rate of speed, early in the morning … colliding with a tree, wall, pole or piece of heavy equipment – generally, something large that does not move – and involving, sometimes, an unfortunate pedestrian. This crisis in public safety demands a sustained effort and serious attention, not cosmetic measures fueled by litanies of commissions, panels, advisory groups or awareness campaigns. We would advocate for a holistic examination of all aspects of Cayman’s automotive environment, including drivers, vehicles, roadways, speed limits, sanctions and the judiciary – to name a few. It would not be untoward for every driver on the island to be called in for a rigorous drivers licensing “re-test,” including driving proficiency and knowledge of local traffic regulations. We simply can never have safe streets populated with unsafe drivers. The police crackdown, announced by Commissioner Byrne, must identify unroadworthy vehicles that lack government inspection certificates (and especially, unroadworthy vehicles that nevertheless do have those certificates). The courts, of course, are an integral part of keeping order on our roads. How can we pretend to be serious about traffic offenses if we do not address jams in the judicial system that allow cases to fester for years? (The poster child for this is the trial of top immigration official Gary Wong, stemming from an incident that took place in December 2013 – nearly a half-decade ago.) Police Commissioner Byrne also has asked law- makers to enact tougher penalties for traffic offenses. He knows far more about this than we do, but we would simply note that the most strict or strin- gent legislation on the books will be of little value if traffic laws are not enforced consistently year-round. Seasonal or holiday “crackdowns” are public relations solutions to what is an all-the-time serious problem. In short, officials must do everything in their power to get drivers who cannot drive, or do drive, but drunk or recklessly, off Cayman’s roadways. Shift road safety and enforcement into a much higher gear The accidental president who wore power lightly WASHINGTON – Within 17 days in the autumn of 1975 – first in Sacramento, then in San Francisco – two sep- arate handgun-wielding women attempted to assas- sinate the president. Had either succeeded, and each was close enough to have done so, the nation would have had a third president in 14 months, and a second consecutive one who had never been on a national ticket. Gerald Ford sur- vived to continue with an 895-day presidency during which the nation regained its equilibrium after Water- gate and Vietnam. The only president to have reached the Oval Office without first appearing on a ballot for either vice presi- dent or president, Ford be- came vice president (under the 25th Amendment) when scandals forced Richard Nix- on’s vice president, Spiro Agnew, to resign. Ford be- came president when Nixon resigned. Had Ford been as- sassinated, his vice presi- dent, Nelson Rockefeller (also confirmed by Congress under the 25th Amendment), would have become presi- dent. Today, with the nation seemingly more irritable and depressed than at any time since then, it is well to fondly remember the 38th president, which Donald Rumsfeld does in “When the Center Held: Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the Amer- ican Presidency.” Readers can tickle from this book a reason for looking on the bright side of, or at least for an inadvertent benefit from, the 45th president. Ford was the most ac- complished athlete ever to hold the nation’s highest elective office: For three seasons he was the center (hence Rumsfeld’s title) on University of Michigan’s football teams, two of which were undefeated national champions. Yet because of a few public stumbles re- lated to a football-weakened knee, he is remembered as awkward. His lack of rhe- torical nimbleness, one in- stance of which might have cost him the 1976 election, elicited condescension from critics, few of whom were, as he was, graduates of Yale Law School. When he was sworn in as president on Aug. 9, 1974, only 36 percent of Amer- icans expressed trust in government, down from 77 percent in 1964. And the in- flation rate was 10.9 per- cent, the highest since 1947: nothing destroys faith in government faster than its currency failing as a store of value. To cauterize the Watergate wound, Ford par- doned Nixon, an act both statesmanlike – it spared the nation additional years of rancor – and politically damaging: Ford’s job ap- proval plunged 31 points. And he was clueless about inflation, urging people to drive less and buy cheaper groceries. Rumsfeld, who served as Ford’s White House chief of staff and then secretary of defense, delicately says this “per- plexed a number of our country’s top economists.” In January 1975, in his first State of the Union ad- dress, delivered three months before the last he- licopters lifted the rem- nants of the U.S. presence in Vietnam off the roof of the Saigon embassy, Ford said: “The state of the Union is not good.” Ronald Reagan agreed and began planning his attempt to wrest the 1976 Republican nomina- tion from Ford. That fate had dealt Ford a miserable hand of cards did not discombobulate him, largely because, as Rums- feld says, he had not “come to the Oval Office with an out- sized view of himself.” Never having campaigned other than in Michigan’s 5th Con- gressional District (Grand Rapids), he nevertheless won the 1976 GOP nomination, and probably would have won the election if, during a debate with Jimmy Carter, he had inserted the word “per- manently” in his statement that Eastern European peo- ples did not “consider them- selves dominated by the Soviet Union.” Rumsfeld, who calls Ford “the president we always wanted that we didn’t know we had,” tiptoes up to a com- parison with today’s Wash- ington when he says the city “can be a magnet for siz- able personalities” and that Ford’s “saving grace” was that he was not like that: “His calm, thoughtful and stead- fast nature was remarkable in Washington, D.C., even in his own day, and some might assert even more so now.” Do tell. The current president’s contribution – unintended but not insignificant – to America’s civic health might be to help cure the country of unreasonable fastidiousness regarding presidential aspi- rants. For a while, at least, many voters will be less in- clined than they once were to measure candidates with a political micrometer that en- courages voters to be exces- sively finicky, rejecting can- didates for minor blemishes, only to wind up with one who is all blemish. More than four decades on from Ford’s accidental presidency, this man who wore plaid trousers and wore power lightly is a reminder that the nation can always do worse than to em- brace normality. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL The only president to have reached the Oval Office without first appearing on a ballot for either vice president or president, Ford became vice president (under the 25th Amendment) when scandals forced Richard Nixon’s vice president, Spiro Agnew, to resign. 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 find their own way”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 Join Special Needs Foundation Cayman on 23rd June 2018 for a Night of 100 Dinners and help raise money to ensure all children in Cayman have the same opportunities. Host a dinner party and dine in for charity! To register as a host, please visit www.specialneedsfoundation.ky/100dinners and complete the form. There’s never been a better excuse to have a house-full. #Nightof100Dinners 1 2 3 Invite as many friends as you can! Ask every guest to make a small donation (as host, you could either set a minimum amount or let each of your guests decide how much they to want to give). Have fun! (and don’t forget to tell us all about it on social media). #Nightof100Dinners To participate and help us make an impact, all you have to do is: The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 BLOCKCHAIN AND CRYPTOCURRENCY COURSE: Understand the mechanics behind blockchain, how it works, why it is in demand and how it can be regulated. $350. Register at www.riskpass.com/training. SATURDAY, JUNE 9 COUNCIL FOR OLDER PERSONS: The rescheduled Bodden Town district to advance the well-being of older persons in the Cayman Islands, will take place at the Webster Memorial United Church Hall, 5:30–7 p.m. The district’s senior citizens and interested family members are invited to attend. CAR BOOT SALE: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Credit Union parking lot, across from the Farmers Market and cricket pitch in George Town. Hosted by the Edna M. Moyle Primary School PTA. Book a selling spot by email at emps.pta@gmail.com or call Carol at 547-2900 or Kim at 925-0242. $30 per vehicle in advance or $35 on the day. Bargains to customers. Food and drink on sale. Proceeds to benefit the school’s Literacy and Home Reading programs. SUNDAY, JUNE 10 TENNIS CLUB: Family Fun Day from 4 p.m. Doubles and singles matches, bouncy castles, food and drink. Members, $15 or $45 for family of four. Non- members, $20 or $60 for family of four. Non-players, $10. 10 percent off regular membership fee to new members signing up at this event. RSVP by June 6 to citcsocials@gmail.com. OPEN STUDIO: The Visual Arts Society offers this opportunity to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere on any medium or craft. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5; $15 for non-members. Includes use of studio, easels and ceramic tools. Glazes, firing and clay orders available for extra fee. To register email info@visualartcayman.com. MONDAY, JUNE 11 QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY: The Brac District of the National Trust invites everyone to the annual Queen’s Birthday Tea, 4–6:30 p.m. Heritage House, Northeast Bay, Cayman Brac. There will also be a silent auction, split the pot, plant sale and art show. Funds raised to conserve natural habitat. Tickets are $7 adults, $3 children. LIBRARY EXHIBITION: Celebrating the achievements of Olive Miller, OBE. Opens today. GENERAL INTEREST SPECIAL OLYMPICS NATIONAL GAMES: The 2018 Week of Awareness begins Sunday, June 3, 10 a.m. with a church service and athlete lunch at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road. Monday, 5:30 p.m., Law Enforcement Torch Run and opening ceremony, track and field competitions, Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., swimming competitions, Lions Pool. Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., bocce, Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Thursday, 5:30 p.m., basketball, First Baptist Christian School Gymnasium. Saturday, 9 a.m., stand-up paddleboard, Governors Beach. Tuesday, June 12, 5:30 p.m. Football and football skills, Truman Bodden Sports Complex. SEAMEN AND VETERANS: The Ministry of Community Affairs is providing additional dates for recipients of the Ex-Gratia Seamen & Veterans Benefit who need help completing the Seaman & Veterans Continuation Confirmation forms. Contact the ministry at 244-2426 or the Community Development Officers. Bodden Town, Flavia Gardner, 926-0490. West Bay, Vanda Powery, 916-7902. George Town, Dorline Welcome, 925-4083. NEW LICENSE PLATES: The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing has uploaded its list of new electronic license plates that are ready for collection. An additional 1,200 plates are now ready to be picked up from the DVDL office on Crewe Road. Vehicles owners are reminded that they must bring in the temporary/old plates, the windshield tag, as well as their logbook. The list can be viewed on the department’s website at www.dvdl.gov.ky/portal/ page/portal/vlthome/ pressroom/2018/plates- collection-may-2018. ESO FIELDWORK: Staff from the Economics and Statistics Office will be in various communities across all districts collecting basic housing information necessary to update the ESO’s Household Register. ESO staff members can be identified by their ESO IDs; residents should always ask the field workers to present their IDs before providing any information. They may also call the hotline at 516-3329 for verification of enumerators or to express any concerns they may have. CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The Builders Board has extended the deadline for all local contractors to register with the board. The contractors’ deadline is now Tuesday, July 31, 2018. For fees and registration forms that are available online, contractors should visit www.planning.ky/boards-all/ builders-board. EARLY CHILDHOOD FEES: The Ministry of Education provides financial assistance for Caymanian children between 3 and 4 years of age before Sept. 1, 2018, to assist with fees at an early childhood center between September and June 30. Application forms can be downloaded from www.education.gov. ky or collected from the Government Administration Building, the Department of Education Services and all early childhood centers. Contact Renee Barnes at 244-5735, Turnette Stewart at 244-5724 or email ecap@gov.ky. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. FARMERS ARTISAN MARKET: Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Visual Arts Society artists sell arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry, ceramics and more at the VAS tents by KARoo Restaurant. For more information or to inquire about table space, email info@visualartcayman.com. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. The local contact is George R. Ebanks, 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen at 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. THE MODEL AIRPLANE FLYING CLUB: Meets Sundays 2 p.m. at the J. Bodden Marlpit/Old Raceway. Call 916–2327. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. Call 946–3067 or 947–1863. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE: Breast-feeding Clinics every Thursday 10 a.m. to noon in the Women’s Health Centre. No appointments, no fees. Phone 244–2649. CAYMAN BRIDGE CLUB: Meets Tuesdays 7 p.m. at Comfort Suites, West Bay Road; Fridays, 9 a.m. at the Rugby Club. For further information, contact Helen Haines at 947-3217 or Alex Wood at 947-3693. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Brac District of the National Trust will be one of many organizations celebrating the Queen’s Birthday on June 11, which is a public holiday in Cayman. The trust invites everyone to the annual Queen’s Birthday Tea that day. - PHOTO: AP7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday June 11 NO PUBLICATION Tuesday June 12 Wednesday June 6 Wednesday June 13 Thursday June 7 Thursday June 14 Friday June 8 Friday June 15 Tuesday June 12 PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Celebrate the Monday June 11th Public HolidayPublic HolidayPublic Holiday Queen’s Birthday (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, June 11th, Queen’s Birthday (Public Holiday) OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, JUNE 11TH Police note big increase in firearm recoveries BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service seized 29 illegal firearms last year, equaling the number of weapons seizures the depart- ment recorded in the prior two years combined. According to figures pre- sented last week, the police seized 15 illegal guns in 2016 and 14 in 2015. Based on those figures, the average observer might conclude the Cayman Islands has a lot more illegal fire- arms on the streets now than it did a few years ago, but RCIPS Superintendent Brad Ebanks said that is not nec- essarily the case. “We’ve just put a lot of focus on it,” Mr. Ebanks said, referring to gun crime. Detection of firearms and drugs is almost entirely driven by proactive policing, Mr. Ebanks said last week during a press conference an- nouncing Cayman’s month- long gun amnesty pro- gram in June. In other words, if police are not out doing proactive traffic stops and searches, they will not find as many il- legal drugs and guns. RCIPS crime statis- tics seem to bear that out. During 2017, there were 25 crimes committed that in- volved firearms during a year in which police seized 29 il- legal weapons. In 2016, police recorded 36 firearms-related crimes during a year in which just 15 guns were seized. Police said that works out to a 31 percent, one-year drop in firearms-related crimes. “The decrease in firearms crime occurred alongside a stark increase in the number of firearms recovered by po- lice,” the RCIPS annual report for 2017 stated. Between January 2015 and last month, 63 firearms have been seized in Cayman, according to the RCIPS. That number does not in- clude weapons turned in as a result of the gun amnesty, which began last Friday and which has already re- sulted in the return of one weapon to police. The RCIPS is offering clemency for anyone who vol- untarily turns in a firearm – regardless of whether it is legally or illegally held – to a local police station or at a number of participating churches, where pastors have volunteered to collect the weapons. Cayman Crime Stoppers will also process tips on weapons held and will work with local police to ensure any firearms people want to surrender get into the right hands. The amnesty period will last from June 1 to June 30 and weapons may be turned in between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day. The public is asked not to attempt to turn in firearms during the overnight hours. Any weapons that are turned in must be unloaded and wrapped in a plastic bag with duct tape around it. Any ammunition turned in during the period would also have to be wrapped separately in a similar fashion when it is turned in. RCIPS Deputy Commis- sioner Kurt Walton said the wrapping is done for safety, but also to ensure that if a police officer pulls over a ve- hicle inside of which an il- legal firearm is found during the amnesty period, the people in the vehicle cannot simply claim they were in the process of handing in the weapon. Mr. Walton clarified during last week’s press con- ference that the amnesty in- cludes clemency only for the person possessing the firearm. If the weapon can later be linked to crime via forensics, the perpetra- tors of that crime will not be protected. Also, police note the public may also want to con- sider turning in legally held firearms that are no longer in use by their owners. “These firearms include old, formerly licensed guns that could fall into the wrong hands,” a police statement on the gun amnesty said. TWO REMAIN IN HOSPITAL FROM WEEKEND ACCIDENTS A man and woman who were seriously injured in an early Saturday morning crash along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway remained hospitalized Monday. The 3 a.m. Saturday crash just north of the Lakeside apartment com- plex initially sent four people, three women and a man, to the hospital. Two women were released from care Saturday, while a third was taken to Health City Cayman Islands. The male passenger remained at the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town. As of Monday, the pa- tient at Health City had stabilized, according to police. The male pa- tient in George Town was still listed in crit- ical condition. In a separate accident, occurring along the George Town waterfront Saturday morning around 4 a.m., two people were sent to the hospital. Both patients in that crash were released from care Sunday morning. A third multi-ve- hicle crash was also re- ported overnight Friday on Shamrock Road, but no details of that incident had been provided as of press time Monday. WEST BAY MAN REMANDED FOR BUSINESS BURGLARY Defendant tests positive for ganja, cocaine CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A West Bay man has been remanded in custody following a charge of bur- glary at a business prem- ises in the Birch Tree Hill area of West Bay. Darney Daniel Duhaney Kelly Jr., 27, appeared in Summary Court on Monday charged with entering Kelly’s Bar as a trespasser on June 1 and stealing cigarettes, lighters and alcohol. Defense attorney John Furniss did not apply for bail after expressing con- cerns the defendant’s family had that drug consumption might be a problem. Magistrate Valdis Foldats ordered a drug test and Mr. Kelly was found positive for ganja and cocaine. The mag- istrate also ordered a psychi- atric assessment. No charges were put to the defendant and no pleas were entered. The matter was set for mention again on Wednesday, June 20. In this file photo from April 2017, police investigate an armed robbery of the Foster’s Food Fair IGA Airport store, where a security officer was shot. It was one of 26 firearms-related crimes reported last year. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Four people were hospitalized after this vehicle crashed along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway early Saturday. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER “The decrease in firearms crime occurred alongside a stark increase in the number of firearms recovered by police.” RCIPS 2017 ANNUAL REPORTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS With not enough space on the poles to service all the companies, the res- ervation fees were intro- duced in 2012 as a method to economize limited pole space, according to Ms. Mountfield. In fact, in order to make sure it had enough pole space to fulfill its licensing requirements, C3 was a willing participant in an agreement with DataLink to pay the reservation fees, said Ms. Mountfield. (The telecom companies have still not rolled out their fiber networks to the en- tire island, and earlier this year, government proposed to address this failure by building its own fiber net- work in the eastern dis- tricts and making the com- panies pay for it). Despite entering into an “above-board agreement” with DataLink to pay reser- vation fees, C3 would later dispute the agreement with the territory’s regulator. In an OfReg consulta- tion document over the issue, C3 argued that the fees are discriminatory be- cause some companies pay more than others, and that “there is no objective jus- tification for these fees, and they should be re- moved from the C3 and Logic agreements.” OfReg sided with C3 in July 2017, ruling that Da- taLink’s reservation fees did not enhance the effi- ciency of pole usage, and that they were discrimina- tory in practice. However, Ms. Mount- field argued in court on Monday that OfReg did not follow proper procedures in making its determina- tion against DataLink. The attorney said that OfReg was required to submit a draft determination before its final determination. OfReg was also supposed to get feedback from Da- taLink in its draft determi- nation and take that into account when making its final decision, she said. OfReg is arguing that its consultation consti- tutes a draft determi- nation, but this is erro- neous reasoning, said Ms. Mountfield. “A consultation is sup- posed to help the regulator formulate its position,” she said. “This is completely different from the deter- mination, which provides reasons to justify a posi- tion the regulator has al- ready formulated.” Ms. Mountfield also ar- gued that OfReg’s deter- mination against DataLink should be overturned be- cause the regulator only has power to make amend- ments to agreements be- tween licensees that are forward-looking – in other words, OfReg may be able to prohibit DataLink from charging reservation fees in the future, but cannot overturn fees that have been charged in the past. As of this article’s publication deadline, Ms. Mountfield was still making her arguments to the court. The judicial re- view hearing is sched- uled for five days, con- cluding on Friday. More than 15 lawyers and tele- coms officials were present at the hearing. arrest to the Cayman Islands media in July 2017. “Mr. Blake’s arrest was in connection with suspicion of al- legations of secret commission and money laundering in rela- tion to the signing of two loan agreements on behalf of CIFA with regards to two amounts of US$600,000 each received in the Butterfield Bank account of CIFA and then transferred to the CIFA loan account at Fidelity Bank,” the attorney’s statement read. “Those two amounts were represented to Mr. Blake to be loans to CIFA to pay down on the CIFA loan at Fidelity Bank in order for Fidelity Bank to re- move the charge on the CIFA Centre of Excellence in compli- ance with FIFA regulations. “Mr. Blake has not at any- time engaged in arranging nor receiving any secret commis- sion. Mr. Blake has not at any- time engaged in money laun- dering. Mr. Blake has not at anytime received or arrange[d] any corrupt payment for or to CIFA nor any other entity or person(s). Mr. Blake has not at anytime engaged in any secret payment(s) or improper busi- ness or unprofessional prac- tices or advantages for himself or any other person(s) or entity.” Mr. Watson was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2016 for his involvement in a scheme that skimmed money from the public hospital system’s CarePay patient swipe-card con- tract while he was the Health Services Authority chairman. His attorney, Amelia Fos- uhene, declined to make any statements Monday, indi- cating she had not received any instructions from her client to do so. It was not clear why Mr. Watson, having already been ar- rested in June 2017, was being arrested a second time in con- nection with the same probe. However, the Anti-Corrup- tion Commission statement released Monday noted a new allegation – conspiracy to de- fraud under the common law – that was not included in al- legations at the time of Mr. Watson’s first arrest. Commission officials further confirmed that no “third person” had been arrested in connection with the ongoing football funds probe, meaning Mr. Blake and Mr. Watson are the only two people to have been arrested in relation to the matter to date. A late-2015 civil law- suit filed in U.S. federal court, which was later settled, al- leged that US$1.2 million in what were initially called loans granted to the Cayman Islands Football Association in 2013 were really a form of “graft.” The December 2015 law- suit alleges that the money rep- resented bribe payments given indirectly by Cartan Tours and Forward Sports to former CIFA President Jeffrey Webb. The suit alleges Cartan paid the bribe money in exchange for a lucra- tive business arrangement with CONCACAF, world football’s re- gional governing body for the Caribbean, North and Central America, of which Mr. Webb was president of at the time. The initial U.S. court filing alleged that shortly after an Oc- tober 2013 CONCACAF summit meeting, Cartan Tours made the “mysterious” US$600,000 loan to CIFA. The suit notes that Mr. Webb was also pres- ident of the Cayman Islands Football Association at the time and that his close business as- sociate, Canover Watson, then served as CIFA’s treasurer. According to the lawsuit, the US$600,000 was disbursed in an unsecured loan from a Panama- nian bank account on Dec. 31, 2013. The loan agreement be- tween CIFA and Cartan Inter- national Management Inc. was signed by attorney Bruce Blake on behalf of CIFA, court records state. Mr. Blake was the vice president of CIFA at the time. During a 2015 audit of CIFA finances, Cartan Tours principal David Elmore was asked about that company’s loan or “gift” to the local football association. “Elmore admitted to the au- ditors that Cartan made a char- itable donation of US$600,000 to CIFA in 2013, but … denied any affiliation with Cartan In- ternational, a company incor- porated in Panama on May 23, 2013,” the lawsuit states. Mr. Elmore indicated that Cartan Tours does not have an ac- count or office in Panama and said the money for the CIFA donation was wired from a U.S. bank account. The U.S. lawsuit alleged: “Cartan never provided any material amount of services to CIFA, nor did Cartan widely publicize its fictitious chari- table gift – which is what typ- ically would be expected of a corporate sponsor. That is be- cause it was not a gift at all, but yet another form of graft and illicit dealing between [the lawsuit defendants] and Webb.” Cartan representatives de- nied all such allegations in a statement to the Cayman Com- pass during early 2016. The court case was eventually set- tled, but details of the agree- ment were never made public. He added that before 1958, when the coat of arms was adopted, the Cayman Is- lands was known as “the is- lands that time forgot.” He recounted the country’s prog- ress from a relatively unde- veloped society to where it is today. Governor Choudhury helped to present a recently reproduced Royal Warrant, which was unveiled by Cap- tain Owen Farrington. The original warrant, which au- thorized the production of Cayman’s coat of arms, was destroyed by fire in 1972. The replica was prepared by Garter King of Arms at the College of Arms in England. “It’s vital we re- member our history,” Mr. Choudhury said. The event ended with a newly recorded rendition of the national anthem. Lisa Scott – granddaughter of the song’s composer, Leila Ross-Shier – and her hus- band Dan Scott, had the piece scored and recorded by a full orchestra, with Ms. Scott singing, in Se- attle, Washington. They have gifted the recording and the sheet music to the government. As the crowd lined up for a traditional Cayman lunch that followed the program, Mr. Ebanks talked about what he sees as a critical juncture for recalling the is- lands’ history. “We are a young culture,” he said. “A lot of people say we don’t have a culture. We need to know our culture be- fore we lose sight of who we are. If we don’t do it now, we’re going to lose it.” The next big event in the yearlong schedule is the Summer Festival on June 23. Man falsely claims to have killed his wife CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who called 911 and said he had killed his wife was sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to making a false report of a commission of an offense. Carlos Cotes Incinosa, 46, was given a suspended sen- tence and ordered to do 80 hours of community service after Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats heard that Mr. Cotes Incinosa had made the false report, asked to be arrested, and then assaulted an officer involved in his arrest. Crown counsel Darlene Oko said the incidents oc- curred on the morning of May 20, 2017, when a do- mestic incident was reported to 911. Mr. Cotes Incinosa called the emergency number and said he had beaten his wife and killed her. Officers were sent to the West Bay residence, where the defendant met them and said, “Come this way.” He led them to a bedroom and when the officers en- tered, they saw the wife in bed watching TV. Mr. Cotes Incinosa told them he wanted to be ar- rested and taken away from the house. In the discus- sion that followed, he asked, “What do I have to do to get arrested?” He was arrested and taken to the Fairbanks De- tention Centre. On arrival, instead of getting out of the police vehicle, he kicked at the officer who was as- sisting his exit. Ms. Oko said the officer was not seriously injured, but she handed up a photo showing Mr. Cotes Incinosa’s shoe prints on the officer’s trousers. In court this week, the defendant said he had been handcuffed and the offi- cers had hit him. Magistrate Valdis Foldats said he was sentencing Mr. Cotes Incinosa for what he had done to the police, not for what the police alleg- edly did to him. He pointed out that Mr. Cotes Inci- nosa could file a complaint against the police. He reminded Mr. Cotes Incinosa of what he had said when he first came to court in July 2017. He quoted from his file notes that the defendant had told the court, “I was intoxicated. I don’t remember. I’m sorry.” The magistrate indicated that those words formed the basis on which he pre- ferred to pass sentence. Mr. Cotes Incinosa said he did apologize to the officer after the incident and the mag- istrate said he was pleased to hear that. Ms. Oko also brought to the court’s attention the im- migration status of the de- fendant, who is a Colom- bian national. Information from the chief immigration officer indicated that Mr. Cotes Incinosa had been in Cayman since around 1997, had various work permits, had been married twice, di- vorced twice and married again to his current spouse, and his last work permit had expired in August 2017. Mr. Cotes Incinosa ex- plained that he was get- ting papers together to apply for another work permit. He said he had two adult children and two very young children in Cayman, whom he was helping to care for while their mother was in custody for an un- related matter. The magistrate said both offenses were extremely se- rious and had crossed the custody threshold. How- ever, he thought that Mr. Cotes Incinosa’s immigra- tion situation needed to be sorted out. He suggested that the false report had been the re- sult of drinking and anger. “You can just imagine the reaction to a 911 call like that,” he told the de- fendant. “Police resources were sent to your address. Those officers could have been doing other things in the community.” The magistrate also re- ferred to cases involving as- sault on police officers. An attack on an officer is an attack on the rule of law, he pointed out. For the false report and assault on an officer, the sentence would have been six months imprisonment, but that term was reduced to four months because of the guilty pleas. The mag- istrate made the sentences concurrent and then sus- pended them for two years. He imposed 80 hours com- munity service for disor- derly conduct in connection with the same incident. Court hearing begins for telecom fiber network dispute Cayman kicks off 60th anniversary celebration CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Sources: Watson arrested again in football funds probe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018 Dutch gov’t apologizes for chromium-6 exposure The Dutch government apologized Monday, and has agreed to compensate military personnel who contracted illnesses including cancer after working with paint containing chromium-6, following publication of a critical report into the use of paint containing the toxic element. President Trump says he has ‘absolute right’ to pardon himself Report: Residents in London fire wrongly told to stay inside LONDON (AP) – Residents of London’s Grenfell Tower high-rise were wrongly told to stay in their apart- ments as fire raged through the building, aided by flam- mable external cladding that did not meet safety standards, an expert re- port said Monday. Fire-safety engineer Bar- bara Lane said the fire ser- vice’s “stay put” policy had “effectively failed” barely a half-hour after the fire started early on June 14, 2017. But, she said, residents weren’t told to evacuate for more than an hour after that. Lane’s report was pub- lished by an inquiry inves- tigating causes of the fire, which killed 72 people. The blaze started with a faulty refrigerator in one apartment and quickly raced up the 25- story building. Lane’s report said that a 2016 renovation installed flammable aluminum-and polyethylene cladding on the tower’s facade and led to “multiple catastrophic fire- spread routes.” “The assembly failed ad- equately to resist the spread of fire” to an extent that would have support a “stay put” policy, she said. The judge-led inquiry, which is expected to last about 18 months, aims to find the causes of Britain’s deadliest fire in decades and to prevent future tragedies. It will examine how the blaze spread so quickly, the response of emergency ser- vices and local authorities, and the country’s high-rise building regulations. But some survivors are critical because it will not investi- gate wider issues around social housing. “The fundamental ques- tion which lies at the heart of our work is how, in London, in 2017, a domestic fire de- veloped so quickly and so catastrophically that an en- tire high-rise block was en- gulfed,” said Richard Millett, chief counsel to the inquiry. “And how it was that 71 people lost their lives in a matter of hours, leaving fam- ilies and friends in shock, grief and bewilderment.” A 72nd victim injured in the blaze died in January. Millett said that sur- vivors and bereaved rela- tives had been left with “an abiding sense of injustice, be- trayal and marginalization, leading to an overwhelming question: Why?” The inquiry is one of the biggest ever held in Britain, involving dozens of lawyers representing more than 500 “core participants,” including residents of the tower. It will hear from scores of wit- nesses, including police, fire- fighters, experts and survi- vors who escaped the fire. Monday’s hearing follows almost two weeks of personal tributes from friends and family aiming to ensure that the victims – who ranged from an 84-year-old woman to a stillborn premature baby – aren’t forgotten during many weeks of detailed ev- idence on building regula- tions, fire-safety procedures and government policies. Some residents accuse officials in Kensington and Chelsea, one of London’s richest boroughs, of ignoring their safety concerns be- cause the publicly owned tower was home to a largely immigrant and working- class population. Judge Martin Moore-Bick has assured survivors that “my team and I are deter- mined to provide the answers that you seek.” Grenfell United, a group representing survivors and bereaved families, said the inquiry was “the beginning of a long road to justice.” The group, which accuses local authorities and the gov- ernment of failing to heed residents’ safety warnings, said “the scale of the tragedy has devastated our lives and our community. What makes it even worse for us is the knowledge that these deaths were completely avoidable.” Police say they are con- sidering individual or corpo- rate manslaughter charges in the blaze, but no one has yet been charged. WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump declared Monday that he has the “ab- solute right” to pardon him- self, but added he had done nothing wrong, asserting his presidential power as the White House is sharp- ening its political and legal defenses against the special counsel Russia probe. Trump’s comments on Twitter came a day after at- torney Rudy Giuliani played down the possibility that the president could pardon himself, suggesting he might have that authority but would be unwise to use it. “Pardoning himself would be unthinkable and prob- ably lead to immediate im- peachment,” Giuliani, a member of Trump’s legal team, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “And he has no need to do it, he’s done nothing wrong.” In Monday’s tweet, Trump said: “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the abso- lute right to PARDON my- self, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?” He then again de- cried special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe as a “never ending Witch Hunt.” Trump’s legal team is making clear that it will combat any effort to force the president to testify in front of a grand jury. Giuliani on Sunday underscored one of the main arguments in a newly unveiled letter sent by Trump’s lawyers to Mueller back in January: A president cannot be given a grand jury subpoena as part of the in- vestigation into foreign med- dling in the 2016 election. But Giuliani, in a series of television interviews, broke with one of their bolder ar- guments in the letter that a president could not have committed obstruction of jus- tice because he has ultimate authority over any federal investigation. Yet the former New York City mayor, who was not on the legal team when the letter was written, added that Trump “probably does” have the power to pardon him- self, an assertion challenged by legal scholars. He says the president’s legal team hasn’t discussed that option, which many observers believe could plunge the nation into a con- stitutional crisis. “I think the political rami- fications would be tough,” Gi- uliani told ABC’s “This Week.” “Pardoning other people is one thing, pardoning your- self is tough.” Trump has issued two unrelated pardons in recent days and discussed others, a move that has been inter- preted as a possible signal to allies ensnared in the Russia probe. The letter is dated Jan. 29 and addressed to Mueller from John Dowd, a Trump lawyer who has since re- signed from the legal team. Mueller has requested an in- terview with the president to determine whether he had criminal intent to obstruct the investigation into his as- sociates’ possible links to Russia’s election interference. Giuliani said Sunday that a decision about an interview would not be made until after Trump’s summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 12 in Singapore, and he cast doubt that it would occur at all. “I mean, we’re leaning to- ward not,” Giuliani told ABC. “But look, if they can con- vince us that it will be brief, it would be to the point, there were five or six points they have to clarify, and with that, we can get this – this long nightmare for the – for the American public over.” In addition to the legal bat- tles, Trump’s team and allies have waged a public relations campaign against Mueller and the Justice Department to dis- credit the investigation and soften the impact of the spe- cial counsel’s potential find- ings. Giuliani said last week that the special counsel probe may be an “entirely illegiti- mate investigation” and need to be curtailed because, in his estimation, it was based on in- appropriately obtained infor- mation from an informant and Comey’s memos. In reality, the FBI began a counterintelligence investi- gation in July 2016 to deter- mine if Trump campaign as- sociates were coordinating with Russia to tip the elec- tion. The investigation was opened after the hacking of Democratic emails that intel- ligence officials later formally attributed to Russia. Trump’s team has re- quested a briefing about the informant, but Giuliani said Sunday that the president would not order the Justice Department to comply be- cause it would negatively af- fect public opinion. But he continued to cast doubt on the special counsel’s even- tual findings, suggesting that Trump has already offered explanations for the matters being investigated and that the special counsel was bi- ased against the president. “For every one of these things he did, we can write out five reasons why he did it,” Giuliani said. “If four of them are completely inno- cent and one of them is your assumption that it’s a guilty motive, which [Trump] would deny, you can’t possibly prosecute him.” Trump’s legal team has long pushed the special counsel to narrow the scope of its interview. Giuliani also suggested that Trump’s law- yers had been incorrect when they denied that the presi- dent was involved with the letter that offered an expla- nation for Donald Trump Jr.’s 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians who offered damaging information on Democrat Hillary Clinton. “This is the reason you don’t let the president tes- tify,” Giuliani told ABC. “Our recollection keeps changing, or we’re not even asked a question and somebody makes an assumption.” If Trump does not consent to an interview, Mueller will have to decide whether to go forward with a historic grand jury subpoena. His team raised the possibility in March of subpoenaing the president, but it is not clear if it is still under active consideration. A court battle is likely if Trump’s team argues that the president cannot be forced to answer questions or be charged with obstruction of justice. President Bill Clinton was charged with obstruc- tion in 1998 by the House of Representatives as part of his impeachment trial. And one of the articles of impeach- ment prepared against Pres- ident Richard Nixon in 1974 was for obstruction. Trump’s legal team is making clear that it will combat any effort to force the president to testify in front of a grand jury. The bottom part of the burnt-out Grenfell Tower is shown in London, Friday, June 23, 2017. A massive fire raced through the 24-story high-rise apartment building in west London during the early morning of June 14. - PHOTO: AP President Donald Trump appears at an event Wednesday. - PHOTO: APNext >