ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 High of 88 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON CAYMAN’S ‘WHISTLEBLOWER LAW’ WORLD | PAGE 10 UK GOVERNMENT DEFEATS PRO-EU LAWMAKERS ON BREXIT, FOR NOW From happy beginnings to happy ever after. BritCay provides the best employee benefits and life cover at the best possible price. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life cgigrp British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and Colonial Pension Services Ltd. and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky Business Protection Governor Anwar Choudhury ‘temporarily withdrawn’ from post, UK confirms investigation is under way BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Governor Anwar Choud- hury’s appointment has been “temporarily withdrawn” for at least the next several weeks while an unspecified investigation pro- ceeds against him, officials with the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed via the governor’s office Wednesday. The U.K.’s confirmation was preceded by a statement from Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin that was released at 6:49 a.m. local time Wednesday. “His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Anwar Choudhury, has been temporarily with- drawn from his post as Governor of the Cayman Islands to allow the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to investigate a number of complaints against him,” the pre- mier’s statement read. The Cayman Compass attempted through several avenues to reach Governor Choudhury on Wednesday regarding the move. No response was received by press time Wednesday. The premier’s statement did not specify whether the complaints against Mr. Choud- hury were related to Cayman or elsewhere. The premier also did not state the nature of the complaints. Multiple government sources contacted by the Cayman Compass Wednesday indi- cated that the complaints had been made internally within the governor’s office in Cayman. Head of the Governor’s Office Mat- thew Forbes declined to discuss specifics surrounding the allegations. Premier McLaughlin and Deputy Gov- ernor Franz Manderson were informed late Tuesday of the decision to temporarily withdraw Governor Choudhury’s appoint- ment. Mr. Manderson, now Cayman’s acting governor, declined to comment when con- tacted Wednesday. Mr. McLaughlin, who is in the U.K. this week for meetings with the Joint Minis- terial Council, said he was advised by the U.K. overseas territories minister, Lord Tariq Ahmad, that Mr. Choudhury was in the U.K. and that the investigation against him was likely to take four to six weeks. “While this development was unforeseen and is most unfortunate, I am confident that it will not affect the continued good gov- ernance of the Cayman Islands,” Premier McLaughlin said. Lord Ahmad told Cayman officials that the foreign office did not intend to make any public statement regarding the matter. Despite that, the Governor’s Office did re- lease a statement later on Wednesday, essen- tially confirming what the premier had al- ready announced. “Anwar Choudhury, Governor of the Cayman Islands, has been temporarily with- drawn from his post to allow the FCO to in- vestigate a number of complaints against him,” the office’s statement read. Mr. Choudhury is Cayman’s 13th terri- torial governor since the position was es- tablished in 1971. No previous governor has been withdrawn from service after just more than two months in that office. Cayman’s Leader of the Opposition Ez- zard Miller called the sudden development “unfortunate.” “This is an unfortunate turn of events following the most promising start to Mr. Choudhury’s tenure as governor since he ar- rived here in March,” Mr. Miller said. New governor Governor Choudhury, who turns 59 on Friday, arrived in Cayman on March 26 amid great fanfare as the British Overseas Terri- tory’s first non-British-born governor and its first Muslim governor. The Bangladeshi-born U.K. diplomat, formerly the British ambassador to Peru, made a big first impression carrying his infant daughter off the Cayman Airways plane following its arrival. He was effusive in his initial praise for the islands and the warmth of its people, borrowing a quote from his 12-year-old daughter, Ambreene, upon her arrival at the governor’s resi- dence along Grand Cayman’s picturesque Seven Mile Beach. “Dad,” Ambreene asked her father, “is this real?” “That’s what it feels like,” Mr. Choud- hury said of his first day in the British Overseas Territory. “It’s difficult to explain the feeling of arriving in this wonderful, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Anwar Choudhury sits in the Legislative Assembly on March 26, when he was sworn in as Cayman’s new governor. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office informed local government officials on Tuesday that it had temporarily withdrawn Mr. Choudhury from his post. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY JUNE 14, 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. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) OCEANS 8 (PG-13) 1:20 VIP I 4:25 I 7:20 VIP I 9:40 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 6:30 I 9:25 DEADPOOL 2 (R) 1:30 I 4:30 VIP I 7:00 I 10:00 VIP SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (PG-13) 12:40 I 3:40 I 6:50 I 9:50 BREAKING IN (PG-13) 1:00 I 3:10 I 5:20 I 7:30 I 9:45 Miss Teen contestants chosen JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five Cayman teenagers have been selected to com- pete for a place in the 2018 Miss Teen contest. The contestants are Sleyah Green, 16, repre- senting George Town; Latecia Bush, 16 of Bodden Town; Triniti Dixon, 17 of Bodden Town; Caitlin Seymour, 17 of Bodden Town, and Aliyah Harrison, 17 of West Bay. The Miss Teen Pageant takes place Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Lions Centre. Whoever is crowned Miss Teen will be invited to events such as the Agriculture Show and to speak at local schools. She will also make an ap- pearance on Radio Cayman’s Youth Flex show, and will be expected to be involved in the community in partner- ship with the Lions Club of Grand Cayman. The new Miss Teen will take over from Kevie-Ann Peirre of Bodden Town, who was crowned Miss Teen Cayman Islands in 2017. According to the Miss Teen Committee, the group represents a mix of per- sonalities ranging from bold and adventurous to shy and reserved. The com- mittee described each as having amazing abilities and regardless of who ulti- mately wins the crown, they are all future leaders of the Cayman Islands. Miss Teen 2017 Kevi Ann Peirre, third from left, poses with the Miss Teen 2018 contestants, from left, Aliyah Harrison, Sleyah Green, Triniti Dixon, Latecia Bush and Caitlin Seymour. More delays in garbage collections Late pickups in George Town The Department of En- vironmental Health ad- vised residents of some George Town areas to expect delays in gar- bage collections. The department said it planned to carry out trash collections in affected areas – including Windsor Park, Banana Walk, Edge- water Way (Grand Har- bour) to Prospect Drive – on Thursday. Other streets that have being experiencing the non-collection of gar- bage, including Shadow Lane, Wahoo Lane, Brin- kley Road, Casper Walk, Merrendale, Short Lane, Webb Road to inside Sey- mour Drive, Bramble Road to Andresen Drive, South Church Street, Walkers Road and Denham Thompson Way, would be visited by garbage trucks Wednesday, June 13, the department advised. “The Department of En- vironmental Health apol- ogises to residents in the affected areas and urges those residents who con- tinue to experience non- collection of their garbage to make contact with our office by calling 949-6696 or by emailing us at deh- customercomplaints@gov. ky,” the department stated. Residents across Cayman have reported late and inconsistent collec- tions since late last year. Last month, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson apologized on behalf of the civil service for the situa- tion, and promised that it would be solved soon. He blamed a combina- tion of equipment prob- lems, staff shortages, staff absenteeism and issues with the management of overtime at the Department of Environmental Health for persistent problems with roadside collections. He said at the time that a number of employees at the Department of Envi- ronmental Health had been disciplined, adding that these workers were letting themselves, their colleagues and the community down through non-attendance and poor performance. He said “emergency ap- pointments,” including solid waste drivers and assistants, and support staff for the fleet manager, had been made to address staff shortages. Private sector compa- nies have also been en- gaged to “plug gaps” in cases of equipment failure, and a vehicle replacement strategy is being drawn up to address the aging fleet of garbage collec- tion vehicles. The Miss Teen Pageant takes place Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Lions Centre. Puerto Rico issues new data on Hurricane Maria deaths SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Eight days after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, Efrain Perez felt a pain in his chest. Doctors near his small town sent him to Puerto Ri- co’s main hospital for emer- gency surgery for an aortic aneurysm. But when the ambulance pulled into the parking lot in the capital, San Juan, after a more than two-hour drive, a doctor ran out to stop it. “He said, ‘Don’t bring him in here, I can’t care for him. I don’t have power. I don’t have water. I don’t have an anesthesiologist,’” Perez’s daughter, Nerybelle, recalled. The 95-year-old Perez died as the ambulance drove him back to southwestern Puerto Rico but he is not included in the island’s of- ficial hurricane death toll of 64 people, a figure at the center of a growing legal and political fight over the response to the Category 4 storm that hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017. Facing at least three law- suits demanding more data on the death toll, Puerto Ri- co’s government released new information on Tuesday that added detail to the growing consensus that hundreds or even thousands of people died as an indirect result of the storm. According to the new data, there were 1,427 more deaths from September to December 2017 than the average for the same time period over the previous four years. Addition- ally, September and October had the highest number of deaths of any months since at least 2013. But the statis- tics do not indicate whether the storm and its aftermath contributed to the addi- tional deaths. The Puerto Rican govern- ment says it believes more than 64 people died as a re- sult of the storm but it will not raise its official toll until George Washington Univer- sity completes a study of the data being carried out on be- half of the U.S. territory. The issue is clouded by the fact that the federal gov- ernment and U.S. states and territories have no uniform definition of what constitutes a storm-related death. The National Hurricane Center counts only deaths directly caused by a storm, like a person killed by a falling tree. It does not count indirect deaths, like someone whose medical equipment fails in a blackout. Puerto Rico began by counting mostly direct deaths, with some indirect ones. Then it stopped up- dating its toll entirely while it waits for the George Wash- ington University study, due later this summer. The death count has had political implications. Vis- iting Puerto Rico on Oct. 3, two weeks after the storm hit, President Donald Trump asked Gov. Ricardo Rossello what the death toll was. “Sixteen,” Rossello answered. “Sixteen people certi- fied,” Trump said. “Sixteen people versus in the thou- sands. You can be very proud of all of your people and all of our people working to- gether. Sixteen versus liter- ally thousands of people. You can be very proud. Everybody watching can really be very proud of what’s taken place in Puerto Rico.” On Monday, two Demo- crats introduced a bill to the Republican-controlled Congress that would estab- lish federal procedures for counting deaths after a nat- ural disaster, saying that will help improve the fed- eral response and be key to allocating federal funds. The $2 million proposed project would allow the U.S. Fed- eral Emergency Management Agency to hire the National Academy of Medicine to do a study on how best to assess fatalities during and after a disaster, given that the pro- cess is currently left up to U.S. states and territories. “Nobody rebuilding his or her life after a natural di- saster should suffer the neg- ligence we’ve seen in Puerto Rico,” Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona said. “Too many Puerto Rican families are suffering additional burdens today because officials won’t acknowledge their loved ones’ deaths. Like Perez, thousands of sick Puerto Ricans were un- able to receive medical care in the months after the storm caused the worst blackout in U.S. history, which con- tinues to this day, with 6,983 home and businesses still without power. Residents across Cayman have reported late and inconsistent collections since late last year.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 For more information about the foundation or how to get involved, Facebook page is United Against Bullying Foundation. Instagram unitedagaintbullying345, Website www.unitedagainstbullying.ky Email address unitedagainstbullying2018@gmail.com Many heroes came out in their capes and superhero costumes to support this event! 5k Run/Walk took place on Sunday June 3rd @ 6am 5k Run/Walk took place on Sunday June 3rd @ 6am 5k Run/Walk took place on Sunday June 3rd @ 6am 5k Run/Walk took place on Sunday June 3rd @ 6am United Against Bullying FoundationUnited Against Bullying FoundationUnited Against Bullying FoundationUnited Against Bullying Foundation THE 1ST ANNUAL 5k Run/Walk took place on Sunday June 3rd @ 6am Mystery illnesses plague UCCI MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com For three years, some em- ployees at the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands have been complaining about health problems they believe are workplace related. But the source of what may be causing such symptoms as skin and respiratory irritations re- mains a mystery. UCCI President Roy Bodden said he’s convinced there is a mold-based problem in some of the buildings on the college campus. So far, the source of any such irritant has been elusive. “There is something seri- ously wrong,” Mr. Bodden re- cently told the school’s board of governors. A study by the Department of Environ- mental Health presented at the board’s May 30 meeting did find the presence of mold in a storage room that does not see a lot of human traffic. Mr. Bodden admitted frus- tration with the findings. “There’s bound to be other sources,” he said, “but we have not found it.” Efforts by the Cayman Compass to speak with staff and faculty who have reported physical symp- toms were unsuccessful. One person named in the report declined comment. Mr. Bodden said he has seen evidence to bolster his belief there is an environ- mental problem. “Staff members have shared medical reports where doctors have identified mold and the type of mold,” he said. “I notice I have a lot of phlegm on my chest. I don’t have the acute symp- toms that other people have.” The Department of Envi- ronmental Health report ref- erences five employees with symptoms ranging from swollen eyes and red skin, to a persistent cough and nasal irritation. Air samples taken in these areas showed no el- evated counts of mold spores – in fact, levels in some areas were lower than the outside air. But the authors noted the report should be seen as a snapshot in time and not a comprehensive look at overall conditions. Mr. Bodden said the re- port is just the latest step in trying to address the problem. Over the past two years, he said, there have been repeated efforts to clean the ventilation systems of suspected mold. The process has been a struggle. “We had one company say, ‘Don’t call us back,’” Mr. Bodden said. “These were people that were cleaning the ducts. They said, ‘You need to identify the source. Until you do, it doesn’t make sense for us to keep cleaning the ducts.’” Board of Governors Chairman Anthony Ritch said he believes there is a se- rious problem. “We do have some mold issues and we have some people complaining and we have to be concerned,” Mr. Ritch said. During May’s board meeting, he said he had no reason to question the find- ings of the Department of En- vironmental Health investiga- tors, but wondered whether there was more to look at. “Is there something else?” he asked. “Have they missed something?” Apart from finding higher than recommended levels of carbon dioxide in the li- brary, career office and of- fice of hospitality – which the inspectors attributed to a high volume of human traffic – and lower than rec- ommended room tempera- tures, the report found only the one storage room to be a problem. The mold there covered a portion of a single ceiling tile. The roof over the storage room has a leak, Mr. Bodden said. “Other parameters gener- ally used as indicators for in- door air quality and for the comfort of occupants were found to be satisfactory,” the report said. Mr. Bodden said he be- lieves the condition of the school’s buildings is a probable factor. “From the time I came here, I highlighted concerns I had with deteriorating and dilapidated buildings,” he said. “I’m led to believe that is part of the problem.” Much of the campus was damaged during Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Mr. Bodden said. Repairs on the struc- tures were not overseen properly, he added, and he thinks a good portion of that work was substandard, re- sulting in buildings that have had persistent problems with water leakage, creating a po- tential breeding ground for mold. Eventually, he said, the campus should be rebuilt. “I’m disappointed there’s been no alternate site [pro- posed],” he said, noting that he is retiring this year. “It’s one of the disappointments I’m leaving with. I detailed this year after year and nothing has been done.” He said further work needs to be done on the mold issue, but feels local sources have been tapped out. “Maybe we have to get someone [from] off island,” Mr. Bodden said. “We should get a specialist firm. I think it’s worth it.” “Staff members have shared medical reports where doctors have identified mold and the type of mold.” ROY BODDEN, president, UCCI Staff at the University College of the Cayman Islands have been reporting skin and respiratory issues. – PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHERThe 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. Months after the Cayman Islands “whistleblower” law came into effect, legislators are proposing a “clari- fying amendment” stipulating that protections should apply not only to public employees reporting improper conduct in government, but extend to private enter- prise, as well. To us, this “clarification” serves as a “magnification” of the problems in the legislation. Applying a government whistleblower law to the private business of the private sector is a singularly bad idea. It would apparently shield every employee of every description working in the private sector to invite government into the workplace to investigate any one of a litany of activities, so long as the report is made “in the public interest” (an oft-repeated but meaningless phrase). One must ask: Has this ever-intruding government completely abandoned the principle of privacy and propriety that individuals and private companies are endowed with? Is this government not just deaf but ignorant of the anti-business message that such legis- lation sends to its own corporate community? Whistleblowers have assumed a superhero-type persona in recent years. They are held up as paragons of courage and morality who dare to “leak” confiden- tial, classified or proprietary information in pursuit of some greater good. Oftentimes, they do not deserve such adulation and genuflection. At the Compass, we are regular recipients of “tips” – including accusations of criminality or wrongdoing that are no more than thinly veiled axe-grinding, gossip and gripes. We are quite familiar with the collec- tive genre of leakers, whisperers and whistleblowers. Some do have legitimate issues, but many do not. Certainly, no one in the private sector should want government bureaucrats deciding which is which. We make the further point that if employees in the private sector have reason to believe that their employers are behaving illegally, they have an obvious channel to bring the malefactors to justice: the police and, ultimately, the courts. Similarly, if an employer is not providing its share of pension or health benefit payments, the health and pensions boards are the proper channels for redress. If an employer is violating the minimum wage statute, the Labour Board is the appropriate arbiter. Even further, the Ombudsman’s office is a catchall for all manner of complaints. One can only imagine what their daily mail looks like. And let’s not leave out the Anti-Corruption Commission. How many government watchdogs does this tiny territory need? According to the Ombudsman’s office, “improper conduct” could be a criminal offense, a failure to carry out a legal obligation, conduct that has or is likely to result in: a miscarriage of justice, a detrimental action, a violation of human rights, threat to health and safety, or threat or damage to the environment. It could be conduct that shows gross mismanagement, impro- priety or misconduct involving public funds. It includes the willful concealment of any of the above. This broad definition may be fine for the govern- ment sector – after all, they are playing with funds from the public purse. But there is no corresponding justification to apply the same protections to the private sector, which explic- itly should not be judged by a “public interest” standard. More importantly, private businesses by defini- tion do not operate with public funds. As long as they conduct themselves within the confines and bound- aries of the law, their primary purpose, and their fidu- ciary duty to their shareholders, is to make a profit. Blowing the whistle on Cayman’s ‘whistleblower law’ THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Taking aim at the real polluters Two of the world’s big- gest polluters are China and Russia. You would think that U.S. environmental groups would be major critics of these countries; yet, the re- ality is some take money from entities controlled by these governments and dis- seminate their propaganda. Over the last several years, many articles have been written (several by yours truly) documenting how Russian groups funneled money into U.S. environmental organiza- tions, which, in turn, was used to oppose fracking in the U.S. and the construction of new pipelines. Fracking and pipe- lines make the U.S. cleaner and also give us more energy independence at lower cost to U.S. consumers. The Russians under- standably fear the growth of the U.S. energy industry be- cause it undermines their own (which accounts for 40 percent of their GDP). The environ- mental groups used the Rus- sian monies to lobby against U.S. consumers and support their Democratic allies. Much of this took place while Robert Mueller was head of the FBI; and since government law en- forcement agencies monitor foreign funds coming into the U.S., one wonders why the FBI was silent. The Russian money was clearly used for political pur- poses; so, is Mr. Mueller going to give us a report on Rus- sian funds that were used to influence the political pro- cess when he was in charge of preventing it? This past week, the chairman of the House Com- mittee on Natural Resources and Chairman of the Subcom- mittee on Oversight and In- vestigations wrote a six-page letter to the president of a major environmental group – the Natural Resources De- fense Council (NRDC) – asking for information regarding its relationship with the Chi- nese government. The letter noted; “While national dis- course about undue foreign influence in the United States has largely centered around Russia, recent media accounts also highlight China’s ‘vast in- fluence machine.’” The letter also pointed out that the CIA and FBI “report that China imposes stipula- tions on financial support to academic institutions, think tanks, and nonprofits in the United States to ‘reward pro- China viewpoints’ and to dis- courage research or advocacy that would damage China’s global image or standing.” There is concern “about the NRDC’s role in aiding China’s perception management ef- forts with respect to pollution control and its international standing of environmental is- sues in ways that may be det- rimental to the United States.” “NRDC press releases, blog posts, and reports consistently praise the Chinese govern- ment’s environmental initia- tives and promote the image of China as a global environ- mental leader.” The letter goes on to make several other key points, in- cluding: “When engaging on environmental issues con- cerning China, the NRDC ap- pears to practice self-censor- ship, issue selection bias, and generally refrains from crit- icizing Chinese officials. By contrast, the NRDC takes an adversarial approach to its ad- vocacy practices in the United States. The disconnect between the NRDC’s role as ‘thought leader and trusted adviser to our partners in China’ and its approach to environmental ad- vocacy in the United States is disconcerting.” The letter details charges against the NRDC, including probable major violations of U.S. law in 33 footnotes, and requests extensive documen- tation regarding the NRDC China-related activities. According to The New York Times’ June 8 article on the letter, officials of the NRDC denied they were “agents of influence,” but only cooper- ated with the Chinese – which at the minimum smacks of gross hypocrisy. Environmental groups re- ceive donations from not only domestic givers but also so- cialist-leaning foreign billion- aires like George Soros and Russian government-related entities. This money, in turn, is used for policy advocacy operations, but also includes indirect support for favored Democratic politicians and op- position to Republican office holders and candidates. Much of this money is “dark money,” where the real sources are al- most impossible to detect. At the moment, some of these environmental groups have created phony organiza- tions in Montana that appear to be supported by hunters and fishermen, but in fact are shills for groups that would undermine industries that are key to Montana’s future eco- nomic and job growth, such as the mining and forest prod- ucts. Such issues are of le- gitimate local debate, but should not be funded from monies coming from for- eign adversaries. Back during the campaign, even then-Secretary Hillary Clinton spoke about “phony environmental groups” that “were funded by the Russians.” She should know, given the tens of millions of dollars that flowed from Russia into the Clinton Foundation and the pocket of her own campaign manager, John Podesta. In March of this year, the House Committee on Sci- ence, Space and Technology produced a report on “Rus- sian Attempts to Influence U.S. Domestic Energy Markets by Exploiting Social Media.” The committee acquired many documents from Amer- ican social media companies that “confirmed that Russian agents were exploiting Amer- ican social media platforms in an effort to disrupt domestic energy markets, suppress re- search and development of fossil-fuels, and stymie ef- forts to expand the use of natural gas.” The real political collusion scandal is that the Russians were funding environmental groups that were, in turn, sup- porting Democratic candidates. Where are the indictments? Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN 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”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 FLOWERS SEA SWIM 2018 • SATURDAY JUNE 16 PHOTO CONTEST FLOWERS SEA SWIM 2018 • SATURDAY JUNE 16 PHOTO CONTEST VISIT THE CAYMAN COMPASS PHOTO TENT ENTER TO WIN A Westin Experience Package As Follows: • Two-night staycation for two • Dinner at The Beach House Restaurant for two with wine pairing • Drinks at the Catboat Bar prior and/or post dinner for two • Two one-hour massages at the Hibiscus Spa CaymanCompass.com/Contests SON CHARGED IN NORTH SIDE MURDER CASE Police charged Waylon Rivers, 19, with murder Wednesday in relation to the fatal stab- bing of his father Tim- othy Rivers in North Side on June 8. Waylon Rivers ap- peared in Summary Court Wednesday af- ternoon, where his case was transmitted to the Grand Court. He will next appear on Friday, June 22. No bail applica- tion was made. Chief Magistrate Valdis Foldats ordered psychiatric and psycho- logical reports to assess the defendant’s fitness and mental capacity. Mr. Rivers had re- mained in custody since his June 8 arrest, po- lice confirmed earlier. He had been taken to court on Sunday, June 10, where an exten- sion to keep him in cus- tody was granted. Timothy Rivers, a 66-year-old farmer, was found bleeding and un- responsive after po- lice officers were called around 11 a.m. on Friday to the Hutland Road area of North Side. Police make helicopter rescue of tanker crew member SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service exe- cuted a helicopter rescue Monday of a man injured on tanker. The 43-year-old man, an Explorer Spirit crew member, had fallen on board the ship, resulting in a fractured leg and head in- juries requiring urgent med- ical assistance. Police said the 911 Com- munications Centre received a call from a member of the public on Cayman Brac around 2:15 p.m. on Monday. The police helicopter crew deployed with an EMT para- medic aboard, and it de- termined that the ship was about 40 miles off the west coast of Grand Cayman en route to Aruba. Raymond Scott, a vol- unteer maritime safety ad- viser based on Cayman Brac, helped facilitate the rescue by alerting the police to the coordinates of the ship. Mr. Scott, whose brother Cap- tain Anderson Radley Scott is employed by the tanker’s owner Teekay Shipping, first alerted the police and kept in constant communication with the ship. “I called 911 and made a request that a tanker was in the area of Grand Cayman with an injured crew member on board,” said Mr. Scott of his initial contact with the police. “At that time, we weren’t sure what kind of in- jury it was, but I had heard he was fallen. I told them he could have multiple injuries. “At the time I had contact with the Explorer Spirit on my radio, the ship was ap- proximately 125 miles from me. I made contact with the ship, I got all the informa- tion and 911 was on the line with me on one of the occa- sions when trying to confirm the latitude and longitude of the ship.” The helicopter reached the Explorer Spirit around 5:21 p.m. Monday, and the patient was stabilized and airlifted to Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport. The patient, an Indian national, was taken to Cayman Islands Hospital and later transferred to Health City. His injuries are not be- lieved to be life-threatening. Mr. Scott said that the ship, a 790-foot-long tanker, had just made a shipment of crude oil to Mobile, Alabama. It was en route to Aruba in order to fill up another ship- ment of crude oil. Mr. Scott said he received a congrat- ulatory email from Teekay Shipping thanking him for his efforts in the rescue. “I’m doing this as a vol- untary thing. I have no pay,” said Mr. Scott, who estimates he’s been part of 200 res- cues over the years. “I’ve been trying to get paid for the last 20 years but nobody recog- nizes the great deeds I carry out at all hours of the night, being awake and helping to save lives at sea.” The helicopter reached the Explorer Spirit around 5:21 p.m. Monday, and the patient was stabilized and airlifted to Owen Roberts International Airport. The police helicopter awaits on the deck of the Explorer Spirit tanker on Monday where it landed to evacuate an injured crew member. - PHOTO: RCIPS6 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO: Flying school launches in Cayman In the June 13, 1968 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the following story, titled “Cayman-based flying ser- vice” appeared: “On July 1, a brand-new enterprise will begin oper- ations in Grand Cayman. The name of the Cayman- based company is Cayman Flying Services and for the first few months it will be operating as a ‘Learn-to-fly’ school. The training aircraft is the popular new single engine Cessna 150, consid- ered by many pilots to be the ideal training plane. “The trim green and white plane is the very first to bear the letters VR on her tail section. These let- ters indicate her Cayman Islands Registry, she is the first airplane to be so reg- istered. She is also fully certified according to U.S. Federal Aviation Authority requirements. “The man behind this new enterprise is Dr. [God- frey] Paul, himself an ex- perienced aviator. Cayma- nian Weekly readers will recall that in one of our February 1967 issues, we published a picture of Dr. Paul and his statement that he would like to start a flying school on the is- land. His plans have mate- rialized and in the autumn he is planning to expand the Cayman Flying Services with bigger aircraft which will be available to visi- tors and Caymanians for charter purposes, as well as flying instruction.” A story titled “La Fon- taine not for sale” also ap- peared in this issue. “La Fontaine, the mil- lion-dollar 45-room hotel situated on Cayman’s mul- timillion Seven Mile white sand beach is not for sale. This empathetic denial has been made by its principal stockholder, Mr. E.S. Fennel on his recent visit here with Miss Fennel, to stop circulating rumors that the hotel is on the market. “However, there have been some changes in man- agement and policy. Mr. Ted Henson is returning to assist Mr. Fennel in op- eration of E.J. Fennel Inc. garment factories in Hag- erstown and Walkers- ville, Maryland. “Mr. J.A. ‘Chip’ Chapman, manager, last season has been pro- moted to the position of General Manager. “The hotel has dis- continued its Canadian package tour deals and is open for general bookings.” Boats collide in the dark off Newlands A 35-foot Cabo Express motorboat collided with an unlit sailboat moored off Duck Pond Cay in New- lands Monday night. Police said the Joint Marine Unit was dis- patched to the site shortly after 7:30 p.m. According to police, the motorboat, which was traveling from Cayman Kai, collided with the un- manned sailboat anchored near Duck Pond, off North Sound Estates. “It is believed that the sailboat did not have any mooring lights illuminated at the time. The power vessel sustained what appeared to be minor damage, how- ever, the sailboat was exten- sively damaged,” the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice said in a statement. There were no injuries resulting from the collision. Acting Superintendent Brad Ebanks, head of Spe- cialist Operations, said, “We would like to remind the public to adhere to all as- pects of the Port Authority Law. All vessels, whether anchored (even unmanned) or in operation are required to have lights illuminated at night. As the boating community grows, we all have to increase our com- pliance, caution and vigi- lance whilst on the water.” He added: “Under the law, vessels anchored more than two hundred yards from the shoreline must carry riding lights at night, unless in areas protected by reef, or otherwise authorized by the Director of the Port.” Police said the collision is under investigation by the Joint Marine Unit. Court fines visitor $3,000 for drugs Defendant had ganja, grinder and cocaine CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who planned to be in Cayman for one day ended up in custody for five days after he was charged with drug offenses at Owen Rob- erts International Airport. Andrea Actis Perino, 45, pleaded guilty to posses- sion of .802 gram of cocaine, 4.33 grams of ganja and a ganja grinder with traces of the vegetable matter when he arrived in Cayman on Thursday, June 7. Senor Crown counsel Candia James said Mr. Perino, an Italian national, had come to Cayman “for only one day” to ensure that he did not overstay in the Bahamas. Immigration officials ques- tioned whether he should be granted entry, then deter- mined that he would have to return to the Bahamas. He was taken to customs officers for a search of his hand luggage, which revealed a ganja grinder. While Mr. Perino was being escorted through the airport, he was observed to throw something in a waste basket. Officers retrieved it and it turned out to be a packet of ganja. After that packet was found, he was taken to a cus- toms search room. In that room, he attempted to dispose of a packet of white powder, which tested as cocaine. Ms. James handed up photographs to Magistrate Valdis Foldats to illustrate the quantities involved. She said the defendant had the ganja for medicinal purposes and the cocaine had come into his possession during a party with friends. He said he forgot it was in his hand luggage because he had stopped using that drug two months ago. Attorney Lee Halliday- Davis was asked to speak on his behalf. She said Mr. Perino accepted the facts. He had been living in Miami; as a result of a divorce, he was suffering from stress and anxiety. He told her he had a picture on his phone of his medical marijuana card. He had been in the Bahamas two or three weeks. The magistrate noted that medical marijuana did not include the loose “smok- able” form and the cocaine was illegal. The attorney conveyed Mr. Perino’s account of for- getting that he had the items until the plane was de- scending into Grand Cayman. By that time he could not use the restroom to dispose of the drugs, so he had trans- ferred them from his luggage to his person. The magistrate said he had difficulty believing that because the hand luggage would have been stowed during descent and Mr. Perino would not have been allowed access. He pointed out that the defendant was lucky not to have been charged with importation. Ms. Halliday-Davis said the drugs were for personal use. The magistrate accepted that point, but said he had an issue with the disrespect shown by someone coming into the country with drugs and a utensil. Ms. James expressed the view that the custody threshold had been passed. The magistrate agreed, but added that the country would have to expend resources to keep Mr. Perino in custody. He also bore in mind the overcrowding at the prison. He asked about Mr. Perino’s financial position and was ad- vised that the defendant had approximately US$2,000 cash and another US$2,000 avail- able on credit cards. The magistrate imposed a fine of $2,000 for posses- sion of cocaine and $500 each for possession of the ganja and grinder. The fines totaled $3,000. He ordered the seized items to be destroyed. Enforcement officers ac- companied Mr. Perino to a local bank to arrange pay- ment, after which he was taken to the airport. Brac man in court over ammunition Charge alleges negligence with ammunition CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Brac resident appeared in Summary Court in Grand Cayman Tuesday, accused of being reckless or negligent while in possession of ammunition. Erbin Darrell Tib- betts Jr., 47, elected to have his charge dealt with in Grand Court. Details of the charge are that, on or before Sept. 20, 2017, within the vicinity of Sloop Way off Frigate Drive, Cayman Brac, he acted in a manner “so rash or negli- gent as to endanger human life or safety” in that he omitted to take proper pre- cautions against any pos- sible danger from a firearm – namely ammunition in his possession or control. The charge did not specify any quantity of ammunition and no background informa- tion was provided in court. Defense attorney Amelia Fosuhene requested a pre- liminary inquiry into the charge, but agreed to short form, meaning that the case will be committed to the Grand Court on the basis of documents rather than live witnesses. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats set the inquiry for Tuesday, July 3, again in Grand Cayman. The magistrate noted that medical marijuana did not include the loose “smokable” form and the cocaine was illegal. MAN SUSPECTED OF COCKFIGHTING OPERATION George Town man arrested Police recovered 40 roosters at a North Sound Road address and arrested a 32-year-old George Town man on suspicion of crimes related to cockfighting on Wednesday, June 6. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, police and Depart- ment of Agriculture staff conducted a search of the property which led to the recovery of “a number of spurs, cutting implements and medication” related to cockfighting. The man, who has been released on police bail, is suspected of cruelty to an animal and unlawful gaming, officials said. The roosters were turned over to the Depart- ment of Agriculture. Earlier arrest The arrest was sim- ilar to one made in March when a 50-year-old man was arrested in North Sound Estates on suspicion of cockfighting. In that case, similar implements were recov- ered, along with more than 40 roosters. Police said at that time that one of the major goals of its community policing department is to stop such activities before they are well established. No charges have yet been laid in either of the cases.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 FOR RESERVATIONS Contact: 345 947 7449 or Email: Info@morritts.com Sunday June 17th 11am - 4pm B R U N C H PRICE $47.95 COLD STATION CHEF’S ASSORTED SALAD COLD SEAFOOD PLATTER FEATURING POACHED LOBSTER & SHRIMP CURED MEATS PLATTER MAIN DISHES BREAKFAST ASSORTED OMELETES EGGS BENEDICT HAM, BACON AND SAUSAGE LUNCH ROASTED C.A.B TOP SIRLOIN OF BEFF CAYMAN STYLE FISH CHICKEN PICATTA SIDES HASH BROWN RICE & BEANS SEASONAL VEGETABLES DESERTS ASSORTED DESERT PLATTER Basic training begins for customs, immigration recruits 18 weeks of training for new officers is under way Twelve new customs of- ficers began their basic training last week after joining the service following a recruitment drive. The recruits are undergo ing 18 weeks of training, which will include the rel- evant laws and conventions, investigative techniques, ar- rest and exhibit handling procedures, revenue, and ethics in law enforcement. In preparation for the planned 2019 merger of the customs and immi- gration departments into a single Border Protec- tion Agency, both depart- ments have embarked on a strategy to cross-train customs and immigra- tion officers, according to a government press release. Consequently, four new im- migration officers have joined their customs col- leagues on this course. In his address to the Class of 2018 on June 4, Collector of Customs Charles Clifford said, “I am particularly pleased that we were able to at- tract well over 300 appli- cations during this last re- cruitment drive and that the 12 new customs offi- cers which emerged from that competitive process collectively bring with them a good combination of skills, qualifications and experience that will benefit the department and ulti- mately the public.” He said the group in- cludes four former police of- ficers with law enforcement experience, stating, “This will no doubt enhance the learning opportunities for the class and benefit the organi- zation as a whole.” Joint training Acting Chief Immigra- tion Officer Bruce Smith said that while joint training ini- tiatives involving customs and immigration officers are not new, immigration officers taking part in the customs basic training course marks a momentous occasion and “signals the beginning of a planned strategy to introduce a single entity at the borders in the Cayman Islands.” He added, “Similarly, there will be cross-training and sensitization opportunities in Entry and Landing and other border control techniques and applications.” The recruits are expected to graduate in August. Four new immigration officers have joined their customs colleagues on this course. Acting Chief Immigration Officer Bruce Smith, far left, Collector of Customs Charles Clifford, second from left, and Deputy Director of Customs Marlon Bodden, far right, with the customs and immigration recruits in the Class of 2018. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com After a jury found him guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, Dain Dameon McPherson was sentenced on Wednesday to six years’ imprisonment. He had admitted hit- ting a co-worker on the head with a hammer, but said he did it in self-defense. The ju- ry’s unanimous verdict was handed down in April while Justice Michael Wood was in Cayman on a temporary ap- pointment; the sentencing took place via Skype. Crown counsel Toyin Salako reminded the court that, on Sept. 1, 2017, at Fos- ter’s Food Fair in Savannah, the defendant attacked O’Shane Myles in a manner she described as unpro- voked and sustained. After co-workers disarmed him of the hammer, he picked up a knife, although Mr. Myles was clearly bleeding and injured from the assault with the hammer. Defense attorney Amelia Fosuhene said Mr. McPherson apologized to the court and to the complainant. She said her client had been bullied at work and on the day of the incident he reacted to what he felt was bullying. “If he had to do it over again or deal with the situ- ation over again, he would clearly take a different course,” she told the court. She described the offense as “a momentary lapse of someone who is normally calm, kind and helpful … somebody who was re- acting to the significant bul- lying and some provocation, I say, that he was facing in his workplace.” Justice Wood said the jury had rejected Mr. McPherson’s defense of self-defense. “The evidence against you was, in truth, overwhelming. Whilst I’m just persuaded there may have been an element of provocation by Mr. Myles, that did not and cannot pro- vide you with a defense.” The judge pointed out that CCTV had shown Mr. McPherson moving quickly to where he knew a hammer was stored and then, after Mr. Myles took it from him, he took it back and hit his victim a number of times. “You are extremely fortu- nate that Mr. Myles did not suffer far more serious in- juries,” he told the defen- dant. By aiming blows with that hammer to the vic- tim’s head, he must have in- tended to inflict more serious harm than actually resulted, he commented. The judge said the only mitigation was Mr. McPher- son’s previous good char- acter. He said he would rec- ommend deportation after the sentence was completed. He regretted that he could not order compensation be- cause the defendant was in no position to pay. Time in custody will count toward the sentence. “The evidence against you was, in truth, overwhelming. Whilst I’m just persuaded there may have been an element of provocation by Mr. Myles, that did not and cannot provide you with a defense.” JUSTICE MICHAEL WOOD Six years for hammer attack on co-workerThe 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. THURSDAY JUNE 14, 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. SATURDAY, JUNE 16 SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: Dart Park Amphitheater, Noon till 4 p.m. Cayman Drama Society Training presents extracts, adaptations and mini-plays taken from the Bard’s best works. Six items between 12:15 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. ABCs of Shakespeare at 2:45 p.m. Repeat scenes from Julius Caesar, Taming of the Shrew and The Tempest from 3 p.m. Free admission. This is an outdoor performance so bring water and sunscreen. 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. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 INFLUENCES OF THE SEA: Talks by Caymanian seafarers at the National Gallery about preservation from a heritage angle and influences of the sea on Cayman culture and heritage. 6-7 p.m. All are invited. 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. SATURDAY, JUNE 30 DEALS ON WHEELS: The mobile Thrift Shop of the Cayman Islands Red Cross will be in North Side, junction of Hutland and North Side Roads, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Items available include ladies’ accessories and bags, clothing and shoes, books, toys, linens, household items and more. GENERAL INTEREST OLIVE MILLER EXHIBITION: At the Old George Town Library. Ms. Olive Miller is one of three Cayman residents who were recognized in the U.K.’s New Year’s Honors List. Betty Baraud and the late 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. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. A Sky of Hope synchronized lantern release will be held at Seven Mile Beach from 6-9 p.m. on June 21 to help raise funds for Cayman HospiceCare. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018 8th Year Anniversary G. Leon O. Powell 14th June 2010 – 14th June - 2018 I Miss You I cried when you passed away, I still cry today. Although I loved you dearly, I couldn’t make you stay. Your Golden Heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest, GOD broke my heart to prove to me He only takes the BEST. Love & Miss You Always Your Mom & Stepfather beautiful island. I’m a people person, and what really took me is the warmth … the wonderful warmth of the people. It just feels that the people here are some- thing special. “I have been on these is- lands no more than a few hours and I’m already be- ginning to understand what you mean by Cayman- kind,” Mr. Choudhury told an audience of hundreds at Pedro St. James the eve- ning of March 26. Shortly after his arrival, it became clear that Mr. Choudhury was not here on a sightseeing tour. He car- ried forward a far more public persona than pre- vious U.K.-appointed repre- sentatives had done, advo- cating for monthly meetings of the National Security Council, backing the cre- ation of legally recognized civil unions in Cayman and taking a leadership role in Cayman’s discussions with Britain concerning the fu- ture of its financial ser- vices industry. Mr. Choudhury had just completed an interview with the Compass on Thursday af- ternoon in which he stated his intention to work with Cayman on the formation of a strategy to address U.K. re- quirements that the terri- tory adopt a public register of company ownership by December 2020. The new governor had also announced plans to sig- nificantly reduce the amount of bureaucracy Cayman residents often have to wade through in dealing with government. During last Thursday’s in- terview, the governor had also briefly discussed his inten- tion to travel to the U.K. for the Joint Ministerial Council meeting between Britain and its overseas territories, scheduled for June 14. How- ever, if he was aware of any developments surrounding his temporary withdrawal from office at that time, he gave no indication of it. Statement from Premier Alden McLaughlin “[Tuesday] evening, June 12, I was invited to the House of Lords to meet with Lord Ahmad, Min- ister of State for the Over- seas Territories. “There the minister formally advised me that His Excellency the Gov- ernor, Mr. Anwar Choud- hury, has been tempo- rarily withdrawn from his post as Governor of the Cayman Islands to allow the Foreign and Common- wealth Office to inves- tigate a number of com- plaints against him. He further advised that Mr. Choudhury is currently in the UK and that the inves- tigation is likely to last 4-6 weeks. The minister in- sisted that no further de- tails could be provided at this stage and indicated that the Foreign and Com- monwealth Office did not intend to make a public statement regarding the matter. During this period the Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, MBE, JP will act as Governor. “I have also spoken with the Acting Governor who confirmed that he had been similarly ad- vised and that he was in post and had briefed Chief Officers. I have advised the Speaker, the Cabinet, the Government Caucus and the Leader of Opposi- tion accordingly. “While this develop- ment was unforeseen and is most unfortunate, I am confident that it will not affect the continued good governance of the Cayman Islands.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Governor Anwar Choudhury ‘temporarily withdrawn’ from post, UK confirms investigation is under way Governor Anwar Choudhury, with his 3-month-old daughter Emilia in his arms, and his wife Momina step off a Cayman Airways flight on March 26, when Mr. Choudhury took up his new post. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Fed raises key rate and sees possible acceleration in hikes WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve took note of a resilient U.S. economy Wednesday by raising its benchmark interest rate for the second time this year and signaling that it may step up its pace of rate increases. The Fed now foresees four rate hikes this year, up from the three it had pre- viously forecast. The action means consumers and busi- nesses will face higher loan rates over time. The central bank raised its key short-term rate by a modest quarter-point to a still-low range of 1.75 per- cent to 2 percent. With the economy now nine years into an expansion, the move reflects the steadiness of growth, the job market’s strength and inflation that is finally reaching the Fed’s 2 percent target level. Economists said the Fed left little doubt that it’s pre- pared to increase the pace of its credit tightening to guard against high inflation later on. “The labor market is get- ting tighter, and price pres- sures are picking up,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com. “The Fed is prepared to be quicker about pushing rates higher.” It was the Fed’s seventh rate increase since 2015, and it followed an increase in March this year. The announcement helped resolved a debate in finan- cial markets over whether the Fed under Jerome Powell, who succeeded Janet Yellen as chairman in February, might see a need to signal a possible acceleration in rate hikes. The statement the Fed issued Wednesday after its latest policy meeting ended suggested that he does. Besides raising its projec- tion for rate increases this year from three to four, the Fed removed a key sentence from the previous statement that had been viewed as fore- seeing a need to keep rates low for an extended period. The Fed’s new projection for the pace of rate hikes shows four this year, three in 2019 and one in 2020. At a news conference, Powell sought to portray the Fed’s actions as evidence mainly that the economy is doing well and not that the central bank is eager to ac- celerate its rate increases. “The economy is in great shape,” Powell said. He acknowledged that the Fed is hearing concerns from some business execu- tives about the Trump ad- ministration’s combative trade policies, including an- ecdotal cases in which com- panies have postponed hiring or major purchases. But Powell added, “For now, we don’t see that in the numbers at all.” Trump has slapped tariffs on steel and aluminum im- ports, has threatened addi- tional tariffs on Chinese im- ports and has directed his administration to consider fur- ther duties on imported cars. Those moves have inflated steel and aluminum costs. Powell appeared at ease Wednesday in fielding ques- tions ranging from the intri- cacies of monetary policy to banking regulation and even to whether marijuana should be legalized. (He said that as Fed chairman, he had no posi- tion on that.) And he announced that in the interest of public trans- parency, he will begin next year to hold a news con- ference after each of the Fed’s eight policy meetings each year, rather than only once a quarter. “This does not signal any- thing about the future pace of interest rates hikes,” the chairman cautioned. Since the Fed began holding quarterly news con- ferences in 2011, it has an- nounced major policy moves only at the quarterly meet- ings, which have all been fol- lowed by a news conference by leader of the Fed. The central bank’s new median forecast projects the Fed’s benchmark rate at 3.1 percent by the end of 2019, up from 2.9 percent in the pre- vious forecast. For 2020, the Fed foresees a median of 3.4 percent. That means that by then, it thinks its key rate will finally exceed the 2.9 percent it sees as neutral – as neither stimulating nor restraining growth. Should the Fed’s ex- pectations prove accurate, its policy would then be intended to slow the economy. The Fed now envisions stronger growth this year – 2.8 percent, up from the 2.7 percent it predicted in March. Unemployment, now at an 18- year low of 3.8 percent, would drop to 3.6 percent by year’s end and to 3.5 percent in 2019 and 2020 – levels not seen in 49 years. Inflation by the Fed’s preferred gauge would hit its 2 percent target this year and edge up to 2.1 percent over the next two years. A gradual rise in inflation is coinciding with newfound economic strength. After years in which the economy expanded at roughly a tepid 2 percent annually, growth could top 3 percent this year. Consumer and business spending is powering the economy, in part a result of the tax cut President Donald Trump pushed through Con- gress late last year. With employers hiring at a solid pace month after month, unemployment has reached 3.8 percent. Not since 1969 has the jobless rate been lower. Beginning in 2008 in the midst of the financial crisis, the Fed kept its key rate un- changed at a record low near zero for seven years. It then raised rates once in 2015, once in 2016, three times in 2017 and now twice this year. The Fed aims to achieve its mandates of maximizing employment and stabi- lizing prices by lowering rates to spur growth during times of economic weak- ness and raising rates to slow growth if the economy threatens to overheat. When the Fed tightens credit, it aims to do so without de- railing the economy. But if it miscalculates and overdoes the credit tightening, it can trigger a recession. At nine years, the eco- nomic expansion is now the second-longest in history. It will become the longest if it lasts past June 2019, at which point it would surpass the expansion that lasted from March 1991 to March 2001. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell “Anwar Choudhury, Governor of the Cayman Islands, has been temporarily withdrawn from his post to allow the FCO to investigate a number of complaints against him.” FCO STATEMENTNext >