ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 187818_PRINT-Ad-Strip-Compass-FiPage 1 4/20/18 11:54:13 AM Cayman celebrates monarch’s birthday KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com “Your Excellency, the parade is formed up and ready for your inspec- tion, sir,” Police Inspector Courtney Myles announced to Governor Anwar Choudhury on Saturday morning at the Queen’s Birthday parade and ceremony. Mr. Choudhury spent several min- utes striding up and down the rows of police officers, prison guards and fire officers standing at attention. Soon after the governor gave his approval, the crowd gathered in front of the Leg- islative Assembly stood for the United Kingdom’s national anthem, “God Save the Queen,” followed by a 21-gun salute, and the parade participants giving “three cheers for the Queen.” Those were just some of the ceremo- nial rituals played out on Saturday to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II, who turned 92 this year. Queen Elizabeth’s actual birthday is April 21, but most of the Commonwealth celebrates the oc- casion in early June because the better weather allows for outdoor parades. Residents who have dedicated them- selves to community service endeavors were also awarded for their contribu- tions. Headlining the list of awardees was philanthropist Olive Miller, who was named an Officer of the British Empire on Dec. 31 and received her SHOT FIRED IN CAYMAN NATIONAL ROBBERY Two armed and masked men robbed a security guard transporting cash outside Cayman National Bank in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police said a single shot was fired in the holdup. The robbery outside the Elgin Avenue bank occurred just before 12:30 a.m. Police said two masked men armed with guns smashed the windscreen of the vehicle that was trans- porting the money. They robbed the guard of two money bags containing cash. No arrests had been made by Monday. This is the latest in a number of armed robberies in Cayman this year. On March 3, two armed robbers exchanged gunfire with police pursuing them through Prospect following a holdup at Bodden Town’s Czech Inn. Another armed robbery had occurred at a small George Town store earlier that night. One man has been charged with the Czech Inn robbery. On March 9, two robbers stole a cash bag from a cou- rier at gunpoint on Eastern Avenue. And on the night of March 27, two security guards collecting business takings from Wendy’s restaurant in Savannah were robbed at gunpoint by two masked men. SUNDAY LIQUOR CONTROVERSIES RESOLVED JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Selling alcohol on Sun- days and hosting a party with live music on New Year’s Eve, two issues that caused considerable contro- versy over the past year, are set to be resolved with a pair of legislative amendments. Government has tabled bills amending the Liquor Licensing Law and the Music and Dancing Control Law. The amendments will allow bars, nightclubs and pro- moters to permit live music on New Year’s Eve when it falls on a Sunday. Last year, venues were forced to wait till midnight before they could get the party started. The prohibition caused pushback from the hospi- tality industry. Many venues were caught unawares and were forced to cancel bands and DJs booked for the night. Commerce Minister Joey Hew said government had listened to those con- cerns and had moved to re- solve the issue after con- sultation with industry leaders, as well with as the National Drug Council and the Cayman Minis- ters’ Association. Similarly, he said, the concerns of the industry Olive Miller is escorted by Norman Bodden, left, and Anthony Eden to receive her OBE award. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Officers give a ‘Hip-hip, hurray!’ cheer to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of aviation of- ficials and media squeezed their way through a crowded Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport terminal on their way to observe the landing of Southwest Air- lines’ first flight here from Houston on Saturday. “It’s good that busi- ness is so good,” Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins remarked on the hundreds of travelers packed in the departure area. The influx of air passen- gers – a record 39,185 people touched down at Grand Cay- man’s airport in January – is a major reason why South- west is offering its new Saturday service between Cayman and Houston that will run through summer, said Mr. Hawkins. “We know where people are flying,” he said. “So we’re looking for opportunities where fares are high and cus- tomer service might not be up to the level of what we can provide.” If Cayman remains this busy, the service may last past summer. Mr. Hawkins said the seasonal service is “a way for us to dip our toes in the water” to see how tenable the service is. The spokesman said the new route will offer Cayman residents quick trips to downtown Houston, as well as faster trips to other popular destinations like Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas. While there are other car- riers that fly to Houston, Mr. Hawkins said, South- west stands apart because it does not charge baggage or change fees. Those features have helped Southwest have a suc- cessful first year in Cayman, the spokesman added. The airline started daily flights to Fort Lauderdale on June 4, 2017. Official flight statistics have not been published yet, but Mr. Hawkins said Southwest is “trending to- wards” carrying about 70,000 people in its first full year of service between here and Fort Lauderdale. “That’s a healthy start,” he said. • 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 (PG-13) 12:45 I 4:40 I 7:00 I 10:00 AVENGERS INFINITY WAR PART 1 (PG-13) 1:25 I 3:20 I 9:25 BREAKING IN (PG-13) 1:00 I 3:10 I 5:20 I 7:30 I 9:45 DEADPOOL 2 (R) 1:30 I 4:15 VIP I 7:00 I 10:00 VIP OCEANS 8 (PG-13) 1:20 VIP I 4:25 I 7:20 I 9:40 SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (PG-13) 12:40 I 3:40 I 6:50 I 9:50 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL (PG) 7:00 VIP North Side man stabbed to death Suspect remains in custody Police arrested a 19-year-old man on suspi- cion of the stabbing death of North Side resident Tim- othy Rivers, 66, on Friday. Mr. Rivers, a farmer, was found bleeding and unresponsive after officers were called around 11 a.m. to the Hutland Road area of North Side. Police later con- firmed that they be- lieve Mr. Rivers had been stabbed to death. The man arrested on suspicion of murder re- mained in police custody by press time on Monday. Police said the suspect was known to the victim. Southwest Airlines begins Saturday flights to Houston Students team up in fight against plastic SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of students from local schools converged on the Government Administration Building Friday afternoon to urge an end to single-use plas- tics in the Cayman Islands. Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour met the children on the front steps of the building and took let- ters from several schools ad- vocating for a stand against plastic pollution. The rally, timed in coordination with World Oceans Day, aims to see a plastic-free Cayman in the future. “I like your passion and your drive and your dedica- tion to trying to help this en- vironment and ridding us of plastics. I really appreciate that it’s coming from chil- dren. We need to preserve the next generation. That’s what’s important,” Mr. Seymour said. Students from Montes- sori by the Sea, Cayman In- ternational School, Cayman Prep Primary and Cayman Prep High School, St. Ignatius and Edna M. Moyle Primary School took part in the event. The kids ranged in ages from 5 to 16, and they all were thrilled to be part of a move- ment for a healthier Cayman. Students from Hope Academy, Clifton Hunter High School and John A. Cumber Primary School also partici- pated Friday but were unable to attend the gathering at the government building. Catherine Childs, educa- tion programs manager for the National Trust, said it was important to underline the dangers of plastic to the environment. It was also im- portant, she said, to hear from the future residents of Cayman, who will be living with the effects of pollution tomorrow and down the road. “We asked the school kids if they would like to have a voice in this debate, and they were so overwhelmingly ex- cited to have the opportu- nity to express themselves,” said Ms. Childs. “They’re our future Caymanians and they want to have a voice in how the future looks, so they’ve written letters to the govern- ment asking them to please ban certain types of plastics from the Cayman Islands.” The theme of World Oceans Day is “preventing plastic pollution and encour- aging solutions for a healthy ocean,” and the children were congratulated for being re- sponsible stewards of the fu- ture environment. “In the Caribbean, it’s a growing problem. In Cayman, we certainly have our fair share,” said Gina Ebanks- Petrie, director of the Depart- ment of Environment. “You just have to walk any beach and you can see the plastic that comes in from the sea.… It’s a really troubling and very serious problem, and I’m really happy to see this small army that’s going to be ready to assist the Depart- ment of Environment.” The National Trust and Plastic Free Cayman orga- nized the event, and once they reached out to the schools to participate, they found a re- ceptive audience. The stu- dents and their teachers began crafting letters and pe- titions to hand to the govern- ment in the hopes of reaching the highest levels of power. “It was a combined effort by many of the teachers at CIS. All the way from pre-K through high school,” said Bill LaMonte, a high school science teacher at Cayman International School. “We are all passionate about this and the students are passionate about it, so it wasn’t difficult to create a strong message. I think today is a great event that shows them change is possible through small acts.” The shooting of water cannons marks the landing of Southwest Airlines’ first flight from Houston. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA Students concerned about plastic pollution pose Friday with Minister Dwayne Seymour and members of the government and the National Trust in front of the Government Administration Building. - PHOTO: JULIE SCOTT CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE BUD HEADS NORTH OFF MEXICAN COAST MEXICO CITY (AP) – Hurri- cane Bud grew to Category 3 force off Mexico’s Pacific coast on Monday, but fore- casters said it was likely to weaken before a pos- sible brush with the resort- dotted southern tip of the Baja California peninsula late in the week. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Bud had maximum sus- tained winds of 120 mph Monday morning. It was centered about 265 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico, and was moving north- west at 7 mph. Forecasters said Bud was expected to strengthen further before a slow weak- ening trend starts Tuesday. “Significantly cooler wa- ters around the southern tip of Baja California should reduce Bud’s inten- sity below hurricane status before it reaches that land,” the center said. The Hurricane Center said the storm could gen- erate swells that cause life-threatening surf and rip currents over the coming days along Mex- ico’s southwestern coast. Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated patches of 10 inches, was possible into Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Aletta weakened into a tropical depression in the Pacific Ocean far off the Mexican coast and was expected to degenerate fur- ther and become a rem- nant low-pressure system later in the day. The storm peaked on Friday as a Cat- egory 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 Lecturer gets three and a half years for child pornography Former UCCI lecturer called ‘unfit’ to be among children CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Pierre Pavlov Rameau, former lecturer at Univer- sity College of the Cayman Islands, was sentenced on Thursday to three and a half years imprisonment for pos- session of child pornography. Mr. Rameau’s collection of thousands of images was found by police in March 2017. He pleaded guilty in December to 12 specimen charges and has been in cus- tody since then. In passing sentence, Jus- tice Carlisle Greaves said he considered that Mr. Ra- meau was unfit to reside in Cayman, unfit to be found in any educational institu- tion in the world, and unfit to be among people’s chil- dren. He said the defen- dant was just too dangerous to be given the responsi- bility of mingling with any young people, particularly in any educational institu- tion where he had the power to make them or break them. Mr. Rameau had occupied a position of trust, but had be- trayed that trust by his con- duct, the judge said. Justice Greaves indicated regret that he was unable to order Mr. Rameau’s deporta- tion upon completion of sen- tence, but the court could suggest to authorities that he be deported forthwith. He did have the power to order that the pornography be destroyed and he made that order at the request of senior Crown counsel Nicole Petit. Ms. Petit earlier advised that the maximum sen- tence in Cayman for posses- sion of child pornography is 15 years. She said a distinc- tion should be made between a person who produces the images or distributes them and a person who possesses them for his own gratifica- tion. She suggested that the large quantity of images put Mr. Rameau at the four and a half year sentence level. She pointed out that, be- cause the evidence was so strong, the judge did not have to feel obliged to give a full one-third discount for the guilty pleas. The pornography was discovered after a female student asked Mr. Rameau for assistance with class- work. He moved their email conversation to Snapchat and asked her to send him indecent photos of herself. A complaint was subsequently filed with police which led to a charge of using an In- formation and Communi- cation Technology network to annoy, abuse and harass the female by requesting her to send him indecent images. Police obtained a search warrant for his res- idence and workplace and they seized computers, hard drives, flash drives and Mr. Rameau’s iPhone. Each hard drive could hold up to 100,000 im- ages. Due to the large quan- tity, not all were examined. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden calculated that the 12 charges on the indictment involved 1,107 still images and 505 videos. Justice Greaves said he had struggled to find the ap- propriate sentence, taking into account the high quan- tity and quality of the im- ages, as well as the nature of them. There were three cat- egories, he noted: penetra- tive sexual activity, non-pen- etrative activity and erotic posing. Some of the chil- dren were virtual toddlers. In many instances, the faces of the children were shown while the faces of men in the photos with them were hidden. Some of the chil- dren’s faces showed pain, the judge said. He decided he would give a full one-third discount for the guilty pleas because without them, a trial jury would have had the heart- wrenching experience of viewing the images. The judge went through two sentencing exercises, imposing both concurrent and consecutive sentences for the different charges. In his opinion, the aggravating features meant that the high end of the sentencing range should not be below 10 years. After discount, his sentence would have been seven years. He said a man in Mr. Rameau’s position “should really have the book thrown at you.” The judge said the Crown represents the interests of the public and he could not find fault with Ms. Petit’s submissions, so he was ad- justing his thinking. The most serious offense involved 161 indecent photo- graphs of children engaged in penetrative sexual activity, he said, imposing a term of five years. He set sentences ranging from six months to three years for other charges, but made them all run con- currently. After discount, the final total sentence was three and a half years. He allowed time in custody to count against sentence. Later, Ms. Petit confirmed that Mr. Rameau is a Haitian national who had emigrated to the U.S. and had come to Cayman from there. Ms. Bodden in mitigation had pointed out that Mr. Ra- meau had been of previous good character, he was re- morseful and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportu- nity. His career was now over. Press coverage of his case had been far and wide, so starting his life over again at his age (49) will be difficult, she told the court. The judge decided he would give a full one-third discount for the guilty pleas because without them, a trial jury would have had the heart- wrenching experience of viewing the images. Pierre Pavlov RameauThe 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. Cayman’s elected elite, plus their aides, can be found this week not on our sunny isle but, once again, in the shadow of Westminster in London where recently the House of Commons, with the tacit support of the House of Lords, passed an amendment to legislation that has the potential to do great harm to these islands. We refer, of course, to the parliamentary command (not too strong a word) to implement a “public register” of beneficial owners of companies registered in the Cayman Islands. To be both clear and unequivocal, this action by Parliament, voted into law by a coalition – both unlikely and unseemly – of Tory, Labour and other minority party members, was not “regulatory” in the common understanding of the word. However, it was “punitive,” by any understanding of that word. The Cayman Islands, and other U.K. offshore finan- cial territories, it must be said, bear some of the responsibility for the situation in which we now find ourselves. For decades, these islands have been inef- fective, if not somnambulant, in explaining and pro- moting the irreplaceable benefits that offshore centers bring to the world economy. As the voices of opposition to offshore finance have gathered and grown, both in number and in stri- dency, the Cayman Islands and our reputable offshore brethren have responded largely with sotto voce voices or diplomatic smiles. Mimes might be enter- taining but, to our knowledge, they have never won a serious argument. That is why we are especially pleased to print a column (to the immediate right) by Dan Mitchell, Ph.D., an internationally known and highly regarded econo- mist. Mr. Mitchell, we are both pleased and proud to say, also serves (as he has for years), as an editorial board member of Cayman Financial Review, a sister publication of the Cayman Compass. In this single column, citing the underlying work of Diego Zuluaga titled “The Offshore Bet: The Benefits of Capital Mobility,” Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Zuluaga present a persuasive and cogent justification for the role that offshore jurisdictions and tax competition play in the modern world economy. In one research paper, and one derivative column, Mr. Zuluaga and Mr. Mitchell have managed to articu- late, simply and persuasively, the legitimate need for offshore financial centers. It is disheartening that with very few exceptions, the offshore community for decades has been so inarticu- late in fashioning and promoting its own raison d’être. Using hard facts and astute analysis in his report, Mr. Zuluaga, who was trained at Oxford, skewers the myth that offshore centers somehow siphon revenues from high-tax jurisdictions or drive a “race to the bottom” (on the contrary, he demonstrates that corpo- rate tax revenues as a share of all tax revenues have increased in the average OECD country since 1980). In fact, he demonstrates, offshore centers are asso- ciated with better economic outcomes in surrounding countries, as our jurisdictions are important facilitators of increased aggregate investment. He corrects the record about tax collection in offshore financial centers, a global gripe that is as common as it is ill-founded. He summarizes offshore centers’ central impor- tance thusly: “The popular account of offshore centres is an outdated caricature that bears little resemblance to how OFCs in fact operate. Undermining their exis- tence would harm investment, economic growth and international capital flows, while the promised benefits from intervention are unlikely to materialize.” For years, offshore financial centers have been a convenient scapegoat for revenue-hungry politicians, class warfare crusaders and sour-grapes socialists who would rather hobble global capitalism than take a lesson from its success. Telling the true story of offshore financial centers and our modern economy is one critical component of our challenge going forward. It is a reminder not only of what we are fighting against – but what we are fighting for. Offshore finance: Its crucial role in global commerce TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Offshore center clampdowns are attacks on globalization Since I consider myself the world’s biggest advocate for tax competition and tax ha- vens (even when it’s risky), I’m always on the lookout for new material to share. So I was delighted to see a new monograph from the London-based Institute of Eco- nomic Affairs on the benefits of “offshore” financial centers. Authored by Diego Zuluaga, it explains why low-tax jurisdic- tions are good news for those of us laboring in less-enlight- ened places. He writes: “Offshore finance serves several purposes, the most sa- lient of which is the efficient al- location of capital. Some of this activity is tax-related, aimed at raising after-tax investment re- turns. If it were not for offshore jurisdictions, much foreign in- vestment would be vulnerable to double or triple taxation. Because under such punitive rates of tax, some of this in- vestment would not take place, the existence of offshore cen- tres has real positive effects on economic activity alongside the (plausibly) negative impact on the tax revenue of individual countries. These welfare gains have been amply documented … Beyond their impact on ag- gregate investment, research shows that the existence of an OFC is associated with better economic outcomes in neigh- bouring countries. Contrary to the popular narrative, these ju- risdictions are well-governed and peaceful. Who, after all, would wish to use intermedi- aries in places where investors were regularly expropriated or harassed? … It is difficult to imagine the process of globali- sation that has taken place over the last fifty years, bringing hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, happening without the robust financial and legal framework which off- shore jurisdictions provide for investment. It would be coun- terproductive, for both the de- veloping and the rich world, to undermine their essential functions …. Clamping down on offshore centres … would make societies less productive and prosperous, and this effect would compound over time.” He provides some fiscal his- tory, including the fact that gov- ernment used to be very small in the industrialized world (in- deed, that is one of the big rea- sons why today’s rich nations got that way). And he notes that low-tax jurisdictions became more im- portant to global commerce as governments adopted diri- giste policies. Zuluaga points out that low- tax jurisdictions have a much better track record in the fight against bad behavior than high-tax nations. He concludes with a warning about how the attack on tax havens is really an at- tack on globalization. And the global economy will suffer if the statists prevail, writing: “… an ominous alliance of revenue-greedy politicians, ide- ological campaigners and rent- seekers has emerged in recent years. Gradually, but relent- lessly, they aim to dismantle the liberal financial order of which free capital movement is a fun- damental component …. the al- liance’s real goal: to eliminate tax competition and constrain the movement of capital in order to bring it under their control. The consequences of this effort would be long-standing and go far beyond a few tiny offshore financial centres.” Excellent points. I strongly recommend reading the en- tire publication. Though I’m not sure Zu- luaga and I agree on every- thing. His article notes, seem- ingly with approval, that offshore jurisdictions largely have agreed to help enforce the bad tax laws of onshore na- tions. Yet that is a recipe for the application of more double tax- ation on income that is saved and invested, which he ac- knowledges is a bad thing. In other words, I think fi- nancial privacy is a good thing since predatory governments are less likely to misbehave if they know taxpayers have safe (and confidential) places to put their money. Now that pri- vacy has been weakened, how- ever, anti-tax competition folks at the OECD are openly chor- tling that there can be higher taxes on capital. The bottom line is that tax competition without privacy is not very effective. I wonder if Zu- luaga understands and agrees. Another IEA author, Richard Teather, got that key point. In a 2005 monograph, he explained the vital role of fi- nancial privacy. “Although the country of residence may theoretically im- pose taxes on foreign income, it can only do so practically if its tax authorities have knowledge of that income. It is therefore common for tax havens to have strong privacy laws that protect investors’ personal information from enquirers (including for- eign tax authorities). The best- known of these was Switzer- land, which introduced banking secrecy to protect Jewish cus- tomers from Nazi confiscation, and there remains a genuine strong feeling in many of these countries that privacy is about more than just tax avoidance.” But I’m digressing. Since we’ve looked at one U.K.-based defense of low-tax jurisdic- tions, let’s also look at some excerpts from a column by Matthew Lynn in the London- based Spectator. He makes a very inter- esting point about how so- called tax havens are basically the financial equivalent of free zones for goods. “… in a globalised economy, offshore finance plays an im- portant role, enabling money to move across borders relatively easily. … Offshore centres … are now mainly financial ‘free ports’ – places where cash can easily be parked and transferred as it moves around the world.” He also makes a very im- portant observation about how the theft of data leading to the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers revealed very little il- legal behavior. Which is a point I’ve made as well. And here’s his conclusion. “… it turns out that off- shore centres are used by just about everyone. Most pen- sion funds use them, including those looking after the savings of the politicians queuing up to condemn them. They are part of the infrastructure of globalisa- tion, as much as the container ships, airports and fibre optic cables. It is ironic that many of the same people who proudly describe themselves as citizens of the world think that applies to everything except money.” Amen. Once again, this is really a fight about globaliza- tion. Or, to be more accurate, a fight between good globalism and bad globalism. 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” DANIEL J. MITCHELLThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 A celebration of art, culture, history, Live musical performances Children's activity, creative, and games zone Visual artS, crafts, and specialty creative displays Delicious, diverse food Historical exhibits Dramatic fireworks And more All are invited to kick off the summer at this enchanting evening and multi-sensory experience. Downtown George Town Harbourfront Free AdmissionThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS award on Saturday. Ms. Miller was one of three Cayman residents who were recognized in the U.K.’s New Year’s Honors List. Dr. Bill Hrudey, who has since passed away, and Betty Baraud also received MBEs. Ms. Miller called the OBE award the “crown” of her career, which includes a laundry list of achieve- ments over the decades, in- cluding founding what is now known as the Girls’ Bri- gade in Cayman in 1946, helping start the Cayman Is- lands High School in 1949, and opening The Pines Re- tirement Home – where she currently resides – in 1983. Some of Ms. Miller’s hand- iwork was on display at the ceremony: The Girls’ Brigade was one of several youth or- ganizations that participated in the parade. A special exhi- bition on the life and service of Ms. Miller was also held in the George Town Library. On Saturday, it was an- nounced that another Cay- manian was being bestowed an MBE: Deputy Governor Franz Manderson is being awarded for his charitable works and his dedication to the public service. “I have enjoyed a lot of support during my entire civil service career and now as deputy governor. I want people to understand that they helped me receive this as well,” Mr. Manderson said of the honor. “I’ve had great support from my family, great role models and a dedi- cated group of civil servants, including chief officers, who support me. So, I would like people to celebrate this as their award. I have not done this by myself.” Three residents received the Duke of Edinburgh’s In- ternational Award, which is given to adolescents and young adults who complete a number of self-improve- ment and community-ser- vice exercises. The honorees were Kim- berly Carlos, who volun- teered at the Cayman Islands Red Cross; Lauren Williams, who was an assistant teacher with the Girls’ Brigade in West Bay; and Daniel Reid, who tutored young students through the “Horizons” Peer Group Tutoring program in Toronto, Canada. Cayman was just one of multiple Commonwealth ju- risdictions that celebrated the Queen’s birthday on Saturday. In the U.K., the country’s military marched throughout the Buckingham Palace square to commemorate their monarch. In that ceremony, newly minted royal Meghan Markle captured much of the attention, with Harper’s Ba- zaar and other publications focusing on what she wore to the event. “From her appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to her romantic car- riage ride with her husband, the Duchess of Sussex is al- ready fitting in well with the rest of the royal family,” Harper’s reported. Elsewhere in the Carib- bean, the event was cele- brated with less enthusiasm. In the British Virgin Islands, only three of the territory’s 13 legislators attended, after there were calls to boycott the event altogether to pro- test recent U.K. legislation that will force the British Overseas Territories to estab- lish public beneficial owner- ship registries. “The glaring absenteeism comes amid the ‘public regis- ters’ controversy between the BVI and the United Kingdom,” reported BVI News. “The U.K. is being accused of infringing on the territory’s constitu- tional rights – a so-called of- fence that is not sitting well with several locals.” Cayman celebrates monarch’s birthday Kimberly Carlos receives the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.Lauren Williams receives the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Governor Anwar Choudhury conducts the parade inspection. Daniel Reid receives the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The Cayman Islands Cadet Corps march in the Queen’s Birthday parade and Ceremony. Olive Miller founded the Girls’ Brigade in Cayman in 1946. Some 72 years later, the brigade marches in the Queen’s Birthday Parade on the same day as Ms. Miller receives her OBE award. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Members of the various uniformed services stand to attention awaiting the arrival of Governor Anwar Choudhury outside the Legislative Assembly at the annual Queen’s Birthday parade and ceremony on Saturday. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 Bourdain helped make Cayman region’s ‘culinary capital’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands chefs and hospitality figureheads have paid tribute to Anthony Bour- dain for helping to transform the islands into the culinary capital of the Caribbean. Mr. Bourdain, celebrity chef, best-selling author and television host, was found dead on Friday in his hotel room in Kaysersberg vil- lage on the Alsatian wine route of France, where he was shooting an episode of his CNN series, “Parts Un- known.” He was 61. The Associated Press re- ported that a prosecutor in eastern France said Mr. Bourdain apparently hanged himself. Along with fellow chefs Eric Ripert and Jose Andres, Mr. Bourdain was known as one of the “three amigos” of the Cayman Cookout, the renowned culinary event hosted by The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Mr. Ripert found Mr. Bourdain unresponsive in his hotel room on Friday. In a statement, Mr. Ripert said, “Anthony was a dear friend. He was an exceptional human being, so inspiring and generous. One of the great storytellers of our time who connected with so many. I wish him peace. My love and prayers are with his family, friends and loved ones.” Mr. Bourdain visited Cayman for every edition of the festival, most recently for its 10th anniversary in January. He gave numerous inter- views highlighting his pas- sion for food and travel, served as a judge in the cookout competitions and hosted his own signature event, “Around the World with Anthony Bourdain.” Marc Langevin, the man- ager of The Ritz-Carlton re- sort, speaking on a per- sonal level, said the news of Mr. Bourdain’s death had been a shock. He added, “It certainly came as a shock and sadness. Anthony has been a supporter of our Cookout since the be- ginning and became our good friend over the years. We will miss him dearly.” Several Cayman Islands chefs spoke of Mr. Bourdain’s influence on the culinary scene in Cayman. Dylan Benoit, who worked at Market Street Group and Yara before starting his own business Prime Group, recalls having his Nikkei-style piri piri shrimp assessed by the famous chef at the last event. He admitted it was a little nerve-racking to have his food appraised by someone who has traveled the world to sample the best dishes every culture has to offer. “Whatever dish you’re serving,” Mr. Benoit said, “chances are he’s had it in the place it originated from, made by the person who is known for making it the best.” He said the dish, a Bra- zilian twist on a Mozam- bique specialty, had sparked a discussion about how the two countries had been sep- arately colonized by the Por- tuguese and the links that help spread culinary cultures around the world. “His wealth of knowl- edge on international cuisine was immense, and he ate the whole thing, which was en- couraging,” said Mr. Benoit. He added that it had been a privilege to meet him and paid tribute to his influ- ence in Cayman. “For him to come here with Eric Ripert and put on these type of events was in- strumental in establishing Cayman as the culinary cap- ital of the region,” he said. Roman Kleinrath, head chef at Luca and Hemingway’s, has cooked for Mr. Bourdain at the annual Cayman Cookout. He said the famous chef had an impact on the industry. “I think he was a great person and I loved his show,” Mr. Kleinrath said. “The way he talked about food, he in- spired all of us.” He called Mr. Bourdain’s death “very sad and tragic.” Thomas Tennant, former head chef at Michael’s Gen- uine and a key personality at the Cayman Cookout, said Mr. Bourdain was a true influencer whose reputation extended beyond the culinary world. He said he brought a “raw insightfulness without a filter” to the world and along with Eric Ripert and Jose An- dres formed a “powerhouse of personalities” that had helped make Cayman’s culi- nary festival such a success. “Tony brought the jour- nalism aspect with his bad boy persona, which is a wel- come wind of change in terms of visiting chefs to Cayman. The island could not have developed its culinary magnetism to draw people to visit in great numbers without Cookout and Tony.” He said Mr. Bourdain’s influence would live on in Cayman through everyone that cooked with him, interviewed him and was inspired by him. He added, “Limelight aside, he was a generous human being who might have struggled with many real world situations. He will be truly remembered for his greatness. My prayers go out to his many friends, family and loved ones.” Alan Markoff, of Slow Food Cayman and a jour- nalist who specializes in food and wine, said he was shocked and saddened by the news of Mr. Bourdain’s death. Mr. Markoff shared the stage with the celebrity chef, hosting question and answer sessions with him at a number of the Cayman Cookout events. He said he was always impressed by his profession- alism, as well as his out- spoken nature. “No matter what kind of mood he was in, as soon as the microphone was turned on, he was all business and his per- formances were fantastic,” Mr. Markoff said. “The other thing that struck me was his brutal honesty in answering ques- tions. He didn’t mince words. He didn’t tell people what they wanted to hear, he told them how he honestly felt.” Mr. Bourdain did not limit himself to food either, said Mr. Markoff, recalling how the chef had shared some frank views on American football and its impact on those who play it. Vicki Wheaton, a regular MC at the Cayman Cookout and other events around the Cayman Islands, remem- bers feeling nervous at the prospect of interviewing Mr. Bourdain for the first time at this year’s event. “I knew him to be a sharp, witty individual who had the potential to turn me into a stammering idiot in front of hundreds of people,” she said. “It turned out to be one of the easiest, most entertaining chats I have ever had with a celebrity. His stories were fas- cinating and he put everyone at ease, particularly the chefs at the various food stations who were clearly keen to hear a compliment from the man they so admired.” During that interview, in January this year, Mr. Bour- dain spoke passionately about the importance of food in bringing people together. “The ability to eat someone else’s food, to reach a hand across the table, is essen- tial,” he said. “When you give someone food, you’re doing something that your mother did; you’re nurturing another. Be polite, be a good guest, be grateful, be curious – these are qualities sadly missing in the current discourse. “I’ve sat down with mem- bers of Hezbollah, former Viet Cong who were cheerfully killing Americans 30 years before … in every case, food bought us together. I just have the most ridiculously warm conversations with people who in any other circumstance might be shooting at me.” Tourism leaders in Cayman also paid tribute to Mr. Bourdain Friday, fol- lowing news of his death. “Our prayers and condo- lences are with his family and friends. The Cayman Is- lands will remember him most fondly and with much love,” the ministry and de- partment of tourism said in a joint statement. CNN confirmed the death as a suicide. In a statement Friday, the network said: “It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, An- thony Bourdain.… His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much.” Anthony Bourdain was a familiar face each year at the Cayman Cookout. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 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 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY, JUNE 15 AFTERNOON TEA: Cayman International School hosts an afternoon tea to honor Nimmi Sekhar, an Early Childhood/Elementary assistant principal who is retiring this year. She won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Chamber of Commerce’s Golden Apple Awards. All are invited. 3:15 p.m. at the Arts and Recreation Centre. Light refreshments will be served. TUESDAY, JUNE 19 SEAFARERS SOCIAL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association advises all members that the June Social takes place at 7 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Avenue. Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. A bus route has been added in George Town, leaving the public library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s. The bus is marked Bobo $1 Public transport and is blue in color. There is no charge. THURSDAY, JUNE 21 SKY OF HOPE: HospiceCare presents a synchronized lantern release at Seven Mile Beach, 6–9 p.m. All are invited to remember loved ones past and present with release of eco-friendly lanterns. Group pass, $500 for 10 lanterns and five bottles of bubbly/soft drinks. Family pass, $100, two lanterns, one bottle refreshment. Individual pass, $50, one lantern, one bottle. No alcohol option, $25, one lantern, soft drink. Food available for purchase. To reserve lanterns contact fundraising@ caymanhospicecare.ky or call 945-7447. SATURDAY, JUNE 23 INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL: At St. Ignatius School courtyard. 5-8 p.m. $10 ticket includes two choices of cuisine. Phone 949-6797 or email ignatius@candw.ky for tickets or further information. SUMMER FESTIVAL: The Celebrate Cayman Committee hosts a special summer festival on Harbour Drive. The National Museum will be open 5–9 p.m. GENERAL INTEREST OLIVE MILLER EXHIBITION: At the Old George Town Library. Ms. Olive Miller was one of three Cayman residents who were recognized in the U.K.’s New Year’s Honors List. Betty Baraud and Dr. Bill Hrudey received MBEs, and are also featured in this exhibition, which is open until July 31. 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. 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 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. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION: Meeting luncheons held on last Thursday of each month. YBPW: Meets every third Monday of each month at the Woman’s Resource Centre. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Cayman International School Assistant Principal Nimmi Sekhar receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Apple awards from Chamber of Commerce President Paul Byles on May 26. A tea party to mark her retirement will be held on June 15.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018 May 11th to 16th 20% Off All Clothing & Shoes Choose from a large selection of Suits • Shirts • Pants • shorts shoes & underwear Dress and Casual Wear Eastern Avenue, George Town 949-6313 and the wider commu- nity over the handling of Sunday alcohol sales had influenced changes to the Liquor Licensing Law. Amendments to the law simplify and clarify the rules around Sunday trading for liquor stores and gas stations. The Liquor Licensing Board, after a lengthy and at-times controver- sial debate, had already agreed to allow Sunday sales for convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores. In a deci- sion, announced in April, the board concluded, after taking legal advice, that it was permitted to grant re- tail licenses, typically re- served for bars, to other types of business. Retail licenses allow for Sunday sales of alcohol to be taken off premises, in quantities of a case of beer or a bottle of spirits or more. Package licenses, the more common category for traditional liquor stores, only permit Monday to Sat- urday hours but place no restrictions on quantity. The amendments ex- tend Sunday opening to package license holders, at the board’s discretion, and clarify that retail licenses should be reserved for bars and other venues that sell alcohol on the premises. Mr. Hew said this tweak would make things simpler for businesses and ensure they were licensed in the right category. A much more compre- hensive review, potentially combining the Music and Dancing Control Law and the Liquor Licensing Law is planned in the longer term. Mr. Hew said his in- tention was to modernize the law and take a closer look at rules around the training of bar staff and the advertising of alcohol. He said the current amendments, which will go to the Legislative Assembly later this month, addressed issues that needed to be dealt with more urgently. Cline Glidden, a lawyer who represented the Pea- nuts convenience store at Red Bay gas station in its efforts to get a retail license to sell alcohol on Sundays, welcomed the amendment. He said the impact of the change would be that his clients would only need one license – a package license – and would not be limited to bulk sales only on Sundays. “It is a sensible deci- sion,” he said, “and from a business perspective it makes life simpler because you now only need one li- cense instead of two.” Premier in London to discuss constitutional reform issues Premier Alden McLaughlin is in London this week to take part in meetings with British officials about constitutional reform and public beneficial ownership registers. Mr. McLaughlin left for the U.K. Friday with a dele- gation that included Finan- cial Services and Home Af- fairs Minister Tara Rivers. On Monday, he and Ms. Rivers, along with other members of the delegation, met with Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wim- bledon, Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the U.N. at the Foreign and Com- monwealth Office. Several meetings have been scheduled throughout the week. On Tuesday, Mr. McLaughlin will chair a meeting with fellow British Overseas Territory leaders from Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos to discuss hur- ricane preparation, response and mitigation, according to a press release from the Cayman Islands government. This meeting follows on from discussions that took place in November 2017 in Miami. Leaders will also discuss rel- evant issues regarding con- stitutional reform in light of the House of Commons vote on public registers in May. The group will also discuss disaster management. “We will look at local disaster pre- paredness as well as regional support from our Caribbean neighbours, including the Dutch and French territories, as well as improved support from the U.K., should disaster strike,” the premier is quoted as saying in the release. On Wednesday, Mr. McLaughlin will join other overseas territories heads of government at Church House in Westminster for their an- nual pre-Joint Ministerial Council meeting. The Pre- JMC is a precursor to the full Joint Ministerial Council meeting which will be held in London in November. “The pre-JMC allows the OT leaders to agree their key agenda items for discussion with the U.K. in November. There will also be a report provided by the U.K. Over- seas Territories Association on their work over the past year,” according to the press release. Discussions will also include talks on climate change, the U.K.’s “blue belt” initiative that promotes Ma- rine Conservation Zones in the United Kingdom and overseas territories, and hur- ricane preparedness. On Thursday, the premier and the Cayman Islands del- egation will attend the an- nual meeting between over- seas territories leaders, U.K. ministers and officials on the Brexit negotiations with the European Union. This special JMC meeting dealing with EU negotiations is an opportunity for the U.K. and overseas terri- tories leaders to discuss mat- ters such as how decisions made will affect trade and the economy, citizens’ rights, border arrangements and the legislative provisions for an exit from the European Union, according to the release. Before the discussions around Brexit, the delegates will examine possible con- stitutional reform within the territories. The de-facto Deputy Prime Minister David Lidington will lead the dis- cussions, which will also in- clude disaster management. “We meet each year ahead of the Joint Ministe- rial Council to discuss the many areas in which we can work together,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “This year, top of the agenda is our consti- tutional relationship with the U.K., which I lobbied to get added to the agenda fol- lowing the recent vote in the House of Lords regarding the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering bill.” The Cayman delegation includes Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose, Chief Officer for the Ministry of Financial Services and Home Affairs Dax Basdeo, Senior Political Advisor Roy Tatum, Sherpa Jason Webster and Personal Assistant to the Premier Jana Bush. The delegation returns to Cayman on Friday, June 15. TRIAL SET FOR CHRISTMAS EVE COCAINE ROBBERY CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A September trial has been set for three men ac- cused of involvement in the cocaine robbery at Morritt’s Tortuga Resort in East End on Dec. 24 last year. On Christmas Eve Day, packages containing ap- proximately 60 pounds of the drug apparently washed up onto the beach, where they were discov- ered by a tourist. They were being watched over by a staff member pending ar- rival of police when they were stolen by a masked man with a machete. Marvin Gregory Grant is accused of being that man. Mr. Grant, 35, and Fred Ollen McLaughlin, 53, ap- peared in Grand Court in January and pleaded not guilty to charges of con- spiracy to rob and con- spiracy to supply con- trolled drugs. Trial was set for June 4. That trial date was va- cated after the arrest of a third man, Al Elford McLaughlin, 47. On Friday, this defendant pleaded not guilty to conspiring to rob a quantity of packages from staff at Morritt’s and conspiracy to supply a controlled drug. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Pat- rick Moran said the Crown intended to join all three defendants on the same indictment. Justice Carlisle Greaves set the trial for two weeks, starting on Monday, Sept. 17. He remanded the defen- dants in custody. Six firearms surrendered in first week of weapons amnesty Six weapons and more than 290 rounds of am- munition were handed over in the first week of Cayman’s month-long firearms amnesty. Between June 1 and 8, two handguns and four ri- fles were surrendered to police, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. “We are pleased to see that these members of the public have taken advantage of this opportunity to hand firearms in with no ques- tions asked,” said Deputy Commissioner Kurt Walton. “We encourage others to follow this example and help us make our commu- nity that much more safe.” Mr. Walton added that the amnesty will continue for the next three weeks. “This means that if you have an illegal firearm, you still have three weeks to choose between potentially facing seven to 10 years for posses- sion, or handing in a firearm between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.” Weapons, legal or il- legal, can be turned in to a local police station or at a number of participating churches, where pastors have volunteered to collect the firearms. Any weapon or ammuni- tion that is turned in must be unloaded and wrapped in a plastic bag with duct tape around it. The amendments will allow bars, nightclubs and promoters to permit live music on New Year’s Eve when it falls on a Sunday. Sunday liquor controversies resolved Between June 1 and 8, two handguns and four rifles were surrendered to police, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Premier Alden McLaughlin Commerce Minister Joey HewNext >