ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 26th annual Flowers Sea Swim attracts nearly 800 competitors MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly 800 swimmers churned up the water off Seven Mile Beach between The Ritz-Carlton and the Royal Palms resorts on Saturday for the 26th annual Flowers Sea Swim. The one-mile race, which attracts swimmers from on and off the island, got under way just be- fore 2:30 p.m. At 17:46, Olympian Jordan Wilimovsky, 24, of Malibu, California, hit the finish line, winning the event. The top female swimmer was Olympian Stephanie Horner, 29, of Quebec, Canada. She fin- ished in 19:04. A good part of the field was simply out for fun. Even many of the serious swimmers took the opportu- nity to enjoy their surroundings. Two-time Olympian Kate Ziegler, who held the $10,000 LICENSE TAG FINE PROPOSED WORLD CUP COVERAGE TO EXPAND BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Proposed changes to Cayman’s Traffic Law would clear the way for things like speed cameras, facilitate police seizures of illegally operated motorbikes and seek to fine drivers up to $10,000 for not using elec- tronic license plates. The Traffic [Amendment] Bill, 2018 – representing the first significant round of changes to Cayman’s road rules since 2011 – will be considered by lawmakers during the upcoming meeting of the Legislative As- sembly which starts June 27. Among the changes, the bill seeks to put the onus on drivers who are recorded by de- vices like speed cameras or red-light cam- eras to prove their innocence, rather than having the typical presumption of innocence in favor of the defendant. “The owner of the vehicle is presumed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to be guilty of the [traffic] offense,” the amend- ment bill states in relation to evidence JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com More football fans will be able to watch the World Cup in their own homes after broadcast rights holder Logic struck a deal with cable television rival Flow to allow it to carry coverage of the tournament. The two companies appear to have traded broadcast rights in an agreement that will mean Logic can carry increased coverage of the English Premier League next season. Flow has the rights to the EPL and has typically made some, but not all games, available to rival networks through its Flow Sports channels. The deal still leaves C3 and its customers out of the World Cup picture. Randy Merren, managing director of C3, labeled the deal as “anti-competitive” and said he would be filing a complaint with OfReg, which polices the information and communications technology sector. He said the deal represented two “dominant local providers” teaming up at the expense of PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » A swarm of swimmers takes off from the starting line near The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman resort on Seven Mile Beach. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY As part of the sea swim events, Kelsey Grammer, left, poses with Ronnie James Hughes, who helped bring the actor to Cayman to raise funds for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. - PHOTOS: STEPHEN CLARKE Frank Flowers Sr. is presented the R. Max Ritter Award by Dale Neuburger, president of United States Aquatic Sports.2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 12:40 I 3:25 I 6:30 I 9:15 AVENGERS INFINITY WAR PART 1 (PG-13) 12:35 I 4:00 I 6:50 I 9:55 BREAKING IN (PG-13) 1:30 I 3:50 I 7:20 I 10:00 SUPERFLY (R) 12:30 VIP I 1:10 I 3:50 I 6:35 VIP 7:10 I 9:50 OCEANS 8 (PG-13) 1:15 I 3:20 VIP I 7:15 I 9:25 VIP SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (PG-13) 3:50 I 9:35 Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from June 19th - June 25th, 2018 CayFilm to return later this month on smaller scale Local films to be screened at The Ritz-Carlton Despite recent news to the contrary, Cayman’s annual international film festival, CayFilm, will re- turn this year, albeit on a smaller scale. The future of the fes- tival was put in doubt, after it was announced the event would be can- celed this year. Festival Director Tony Mark, however, has sal- vaged the event, now scheduled for June 29 at The Ritz-Carlton ballroom, where five local films will be screened. “I was devastated when we had to cancel CayFilm this year because I felt we were just gaining some mo- mentum as we approached our fifth anniversary. Skipping a year would have been a step in the wrong direction, and I was disappointed that Cayman film enthusiasts would miss out on seeing some amazing movies,” Mr. Mark said. “I am so grateful to our new partner PSI-Key En- tertainment who basically came in and saved the day, and I can’t wait to see these films on the big screen and celebrate the talent of our local filmmakers.” Mr. Mark and PSI-Key Entertainment are also beginning work on the 2019 festival. The June 29 screening will begin at 8 p.m., with cocktails starting at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Three hundred people will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, email info@CayFilm.com. Hiring starts for new government HR agency BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The new government agency that will take charge of issuing work per- mits for Cayman’s more than 25,000 foreign em- ployees is now hiring for three senior management positions, paying between $80,000 and $109,000 per year, according to ad- vertisements that went out last week. The job descriptions in- dicate that the Workforce Opportunities and Resi- dency Cayman agency will be responsible for at least some law enforcement du- ties as well as the adminis- tration of Cayman’s immi- gration permit regime. The WORC agency will eventually replace all of the administrative permit- ting functions now han- dled by the Immigration Department, as well as the human resources/job training activities of the National Workforce Devel- opment Agency. It is led by local attorney Sharon Roul- stone, who serves an in- terim director. The agency’s deputy di- rector for compliance is charged with ensuring de- cisions made by WORC ad- ministrators on work per- mits, business staffing plans, permanent residence and Caymanian status ap- plications are in line with current Immigration Law. The deputy director for compliance will also be re- sponsible for “proactive and directed investiga- tions” which includes pre- paring any criminal cases for review by the Director of Public Prosecutions. There is a law enforce- ment element left to the re- mainder of the Immigra- tion Department involving border protection that will be merged with Her Maj- esty’s Customs service by next year. However, the WORC agency will be re- sponsible for all matters related to work permits and job advertising. According to recently proposed amendments to the Cayman Islands Im- migration Law, the WORC agency will have equal legal standing to the Im- migration Department to investigate permit-re- lated matters. Ms. Roulstone will “share certain powers with the chief immigration of- ficer until further notice,” the bill states. While the WORC di- rector will maintain the same legal power regarding the administration of im- migration permits, she will not have the power of the immigration chief in law enforcement areas han- dled by the department, in- cluding entry and landing in the islands, asylum and deportation proceedings, according to the Immigra- tion Amendment Bill that lawmakers are expected to consider later this month. The other two deputy director positions at WORC will focus on labor needs and supply, and finance and administration. The deputy director for needs and supply’s task is to “develop the labor market demand assess- ment function that would assess industry current and future labor needs.” The position will also help develop training pro- grams to match Cayma- nian job-seekers with the skills needed for avail- able positions. This deputy director po- sition will also be respon- sible for the facilitation of work permits and perma- nent residence. Premier Alden McLaughlin has said the idea here is to join up the work placement functions handled by the National Workforce Development Agency with the permit functions of the Immigra- tion Department. “I am very serious about my government’s determination to give every Caymanian who is willing, able and qualified to work the opportunity to do so,” Mr. McLaughlin said during a speech earlier this year to the Cayman Economic Out- look conference. “To en- sure that qualified and ex- perienced Caymanians are not being wrongly over- looked for promotion, we will strengthen the busi- ness staffing plan regime to ensure that commit- ments given by employers with respect to the hiring, training and promotion of Caymanian employees are being fulfilled.” The deputy director for finance and adminis- tration will be in charge of customer service, ac- counting and financial management systems. Kids with Heart honor dads, senior citizens On June 14, Cayman Kids with Heart and The Pink Ladies Volunteer Corp at the Pines Retirement Home planted oregano, basil and parsley in decorated clay pots to brighten the windowsills of the rooms and for the children to give to their dads for Father’s Day. - PHOTO: JLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY The WORC agency will eventually replace all of the administrative permitting functions now handled by the Immigration Department, as well as the human resources/job training activities of the National Workforce Development Agency. “I can’t wait to see these films on the big screen and celebrate the talent of our local filmmakers.” TONY MARK, festival director Sharon Roulstone3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 *Limited time only. Conditions apply. ™ Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. Now that’s something to get excited about. Rates as low as 4.5%* on a 3 year fixed mortgage! It starts with You.™ Contact us today! Call 949 7666 or visit your nearest branch. 2018 Miss Cayman contestants announced The 2018 Miss Cayman competition is fast approaching. This year, the event will take place at the Westin on Saturday, Aug. 11. The seven women who will be competing for the crown and the title are: Caitlin Tyson, 24, Bodden Town; Gabrielle Watler, 27, West Bay; Josani Schneider, 24, West Bay; Keilen Jackson, 19, Bodden Town; Nateisha Foster, 26, George Town; Tiffany Conolly, 24, West Bay; and Vanessa Douglas, 20, George Town. Following the orientation, which took place on May 26, the contestants have started rigorous training programs in public speaking with Toastmasters, runway with Godfrey Ariem and etiquette with Cheryl Miller. “It has certainly been en- lightening to meet these in- telligent, ambitious young ladies and we are excited to push ahead to the pageant to see them at their best,” said Derri Dacres-Lee, com- mittee chairperson. “We would like to ex- press sincere thanks to our training sponsors who have graciously invested their personal time to make these young ladies shine. We look forward to the offi- cial sashing event on Friday, July 6 where each contestant will have an opportunity to share her journey and aspi- rations for the future,” Ms. Dacres-Lee said. The Ministry of Tourism, the main sponsor of this event, will be offering a $70,000 scholarship to the winner, as well as a myriad of other prizes from organi- zations in the community. The winner of the compe- tition will also represent the Cayman Islands at the Miss Universe Pageant. In the event she does not qualify, a runner-up will be sent. The 2017 winner, Anika Conolly, will also be in at- tendance to crown the winner. Past winners have been able to use their plat- form and popularity to spread awareness about causes that they feel pas- sionately about. Pageant tickets will be on sale in July. The 2018 Miss Cayman Islands Universe contestants pose with current Miss Cayman, Anika Conolly. - PHOTO: MISS CAYMAN OFFICIAL A 21-year-old male sustained multiple stab wounds early Saturday morning during a fight out- side Margaritaville restau- rant on Harbour Drive in George Town, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The RCIPS said offi- cers arrived on the scene at 1 a.m. and found the man in a nearby parking lot, where he was administered first aid and then taken to the hospital. The victim is in critical but stable condition, RCIPS indicated Sunday afternoon. An 18-year-old male was arrested and remains in cus- tody on suspicion of wounding in relation to the incident. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward about the stabbing and the events that led up to it. Call 949-4222. MAN FOUND STABBED OUTSIDE MARGARITAVILLE WEST BAY CONDO DEVELOPMENT APPROVED Plans for an $8 million, 60-unit condo development in West Bay have been ap- proved by the Central Plan- ning Authority. The development known as 19 North, which also fea- tures a pool and a gym, will be situated between Willie Farrington Drive and the Es- terley Tibbetts Highway. An earlier application to situate 126 apartments on the same five-acre site was rejected by the CPA in November because it was too densely developed. But the applicant re- turned with a scaled- down plan that was ap- proved following a meeting on Wednesday. The Department of En- vironment raised some con- cerns that the site acts as a drainage site for the sur- rounding area and the plan- ning department advised that a stormwater manage- ment plan be put in place. The winner of the competition will also represent the Cayman Islands at the Miss Universe Pageant. In the event she does not qualify, a runner-up will be sent.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS WASHINGTON – Karl Marx was no more mistaken than usual when he said that his- toric people and events appear twice, first as tragedy, then as farce. Today’s advocates of a musty fragment of the 1970s, the Equal Rights Amendment, are demonstrating that some- thing that begins as farce can reappear as tragedy, be- cause abuse of the Constitu- tion is tragic. With Illinois slouching to- ward bankruptcy, its Legisla- ture must have better things to do, yet it recently ratified the ERA. But can a legislative ca- daver be ratified? On March 22, 1972, a stam- peding Congress sent to the states for ratification this constitutional amendment: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged … on account of sex.” Without seriously considering what this would add to the 14th Amendment’s guarantee to “any person” of “equal pro- tection of the laws,” the House and Senate passed it 354-24 and 84-8, respectively. The irony of a gallant Congress behaving cavalierly in sev- eral senses was surely lost on ERA supporters. Legislators sworn to “sup- port and defend” the Con- stitution voted to clutter it with language the meaning of which they did not – could not – know. The meaning was ir- relevant to the main purpose, which was to grandstand with an amendment the first, and for many advocates the suffi- cient, function of which was “consciousness-raising” – to “put women in the Constitu- tion.” Another purpose was to arm liberal judges with lan- guage into which they could pour whatever content they wanted. So, the ERA would ei- ther be a constitutional nullity or license for unconstrained judicial improvising. Because the Constitution’s framers believed that the most important decisions should not be taken on slender ma- jorities, and that frequent amendments would impair the Constitution’s majesty, they required amendments to pass both houses of Con- gress with two-thirds majori- ties and receive ratification by three-quarters of the states. Since then, constitutional mo- rality has evolved the principle that ratification should occur during a predetermined period of deliberation, reflecting (in the Supreme Court’s words) a “sufficiently contemporaneous” consensus of at least (nowa- days) 38 states “at relatively the same period.” So, Congress, as has been customary since the 18th Amendment (Prohibi- tion, 1919), required ERA rat- ification within seven years, which was generous: The first 10 amendments (aka the Bill of Rights) were ratified in 27 months. Leaving aside the 27th Amendment pertaining to congressional salary increases (dormant for 203 years, resus- citated in the anti-Congress fever of 1992), the average time for ratifying amendments since the first 10 has been 16 months, and no amendment has taken even four years. The 26th Amendment (lowering the voting age to 18) took less than four months. Hawaii ratified the ERA the day Congress passed it. Ne- braska, rushing to be second, did it wrong and had to do it again. Twenty states ratified it in three months, most without hearings. In January 1977, four years and 10 months into the process, Indiana became the 35th and last state to ratify it. Twenty-six of the 35 ex- plicitly referred to the seven- year deadline in their resolu- tions of ratification. When the seven years expired, those sup- posedly seeking equal treat- ment for women sought and received special treatment. By a simple majority, not the two- thirds required for constitu- tional amendments, a supine Congress extended the dead- line for 39 months – but only for states that had not ratified it, in order to prevent new re- scissions. It died in 1982, in its 123rd month, having gone longer (65 months) without a single additional state’s rati- fication than it took to get all of its original 35. By which time five of the 35 (including, deliciously, Nebraska) had re- scinded their ratifications. The only federal court to rule on the four-year exten- sion held it unconstitutional, and said all rescissions were valid. Now, however, ERA ad- vocates argue that the clock can never expire on ratifica- tion – states can vote over and over (as Illinois has done) until they ratify it, and no rat- ification can be rescinded. In 2017, Nevada ratified the ca- daver, so ERA proponents in- sist they are just one state away from victory. But, incon- veniently, ERA supporters in Congress have repeatedly re- introduced it (most recently in January 2017), thereby conceding that the process must begin again. Which is farcical. In 1972, there were 13 women in the House and two in the Senate. Today there are 90 in the House and 23 in the Senate, re- flecting 46 years of legal and social changes that a prompt ratification of the ERA would not have hastened and that consignment of the ERA to the attic of 1970s nostalgia – hip- hugging bell-bottoms, etc. – will not impede. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group Readers will be forgiven if they don’t recognize the name Ali Watkins, but journalists will not. Ms. Watkins, a 26-year-old reporter with The New York Times, is currently descending into an ever-expanding sinkhole that threatens not just her reputation but the reputa- tion of the journalism profession itself. Astonishingly, but not surprisingly, Ms. Watkins’ journalistic brethren, her current employer and a number of “professional associations,” including the Committee to Protect Journalists, have come to her defense, calling the response to her irresponsible behavior, “a fundamental threat to press freedom.” Nonsense. The Watkins “affair” (and we use that word with all of its prurient semantic implications) is so sordid and antithetical to journalistic principles that every “real journalist” should be condemning her behavior. Here’s what happened in the Watkins case: Ms. Watkins, a Temple University student, in 2013 took on an internship with the McClatchy group of newspapers (one of the largest in America), and in Washington began reporting on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which oversees much of the most-sensi- tive information in the United States government. Ms. Watkins quickly distinguished herself with a series of intelligence “scoops” that had Washington, and the media community abuzz. Her follow-on career was meteoric. She moved from Politico (a left-leaning influential website) to BuzzFeed to the Huffington Post and, last December, to her current employer, The New York Times. (As an aside, it is almost unheard of for a 20-something reporter to get a job at The Times. For context, when the publisher of the Compass was working at The Washington Post many years ago, the newspaper was receiving approximately 10,000 applications per year for newsroom positions. When an opening did arise, the paper had the resources to poach Pulitzer Prize winners from its competitors, not hire kids just out of college.) In any event, on June 7, Ms. Watkins’ career – and reputation – came crashing down. The FBI arrested former Senate Intelligence Committee security director James Wolfe, 57, for (in part) denying (lying) that he knew Ms. Watkins and, presumably by exten- sion, was leaking to her confidential and/or classified information. When FBI agents confronted Mr. Wolfe with photos of him and Ms. Watkins together, he admitted they were having an intimate personal relationship. He was immediately taken into custody. As part of the FBI investigation, the Bureau had retrieved thousands of emails and text messages between Ms. Watkins and Mr. Wolfe, revealing that their relationship had been ongoing for three years. Many in the media are arguing that the FBI should not have access to reporters’ emails or texts, even if national security is at risk. Again, nonsense. In America (and most countries) reporters have no special protections beyond those of ordinary citizens when it comes to withholding infor- mation from federal, state or local investigators. And they shouldn’t. At the Compass, the publisher invokes what he calls the “MyPillow.com rule”: You don’t write about anyone with whom you are sharing a pillow. Ironically, many years ago at The New York Times, legendary editor Abe Rosenthal had hired a female reporter from Philadelphia. Soon after, it came out publicly that she had had a secret affair with a politi- cian she was writing about and had accepted expen- sive gifts from him. Mr. Rosenthal called the reporter into his office, asked her if it were true and she admitted it was. He told her to clean out her desk. She would never work for the paper again. The Times newsroom rebelled (especially the female reporters and editors). They claimed Mr. Rosen- thal had been “overly tough,” in part because the reporter was a woman. Mr. Rosenthal assembled the newsroom staff and told them, in effect, “I don’t care what you do in your private lives. In fact, I don’t care if you f*@k elephants, but if you do, you’re not going to cover the circus for The New York Times.” The defense by journalists of Ms. Watkins is not journalism; it’s tribalism. Ms. Watkins needs to be fired immediately from the newspaper formerly helmed by Mr. Rosenthal, whose legacy is carried on by its current executive editor, Dean Baquet. ‘MyPillow.com’: The unbreakable rule of journalism ERA began as a farce but has ended in tragedy GEORGE F. WILL 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 • MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 Woman sentenced for killing boyfriend Judge says single stab wound was ‘more akin to an accident’ CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Brianna Michelle Watler was sentenced on Thursday to four and a half years im- prisonment for causing the death of her boyfriend, Azzan Sherieff, on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017. She was initially charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February and the Crown ac- cepted her basis of plea. The incident leading to the death of Mr. Sherieff, 23, oc- curred at the apartment they shared off Frank Sound Road. Justice Carlisle Greaves passed sentence after hearing the facts of the case from Director of Public Prose- cutions Cheryll Richards and mitigation from at- torney Ben Tonner. The judge said that, from all he had read and heard, the couple’s relationship had been tumultuous and acri- monious. There had been ar- guments and physical fights between them. He pointed to a basic principle of law – when there is evidence from the defen- dant that is the only evidence tending to explain events as they occurred in a particular incident, the court must sen- tence on the basis of that version. The court could not speculate, even though others might speculate as to what might have occurred, he said. In this case, there were no witnesses to what hap- pened, but photographs and physical evidence did sup- port Ms. Watler’s account, the judge noted. On the day of the incident, she and Mr. Sherieff had gone to Rum Point with friends. There was some drinking. She said even at that point she saw some sign of jeal- ousy on his part. When they arrived home, shortly before 5 p.m., there was some quarreling, which resulted in fighting. Ms. Watler said, and the judge ac- cepted, that Mr. Sherieff was angrier than she had ever seen him before. There was a physical en- counter in which she received bruises and swellings to var- ious parts of her body. Phys- ical evidence supported her story: she reported taking refuge in the bathroom and Mr. Sherieff breaking the door down. Investigators found the door broken. Ms. Watler said she got him calmed down by saying she would prepare their dinner. She went to the sink in the kitchen to do so and there were photos of pieces of chicken in the sink. She said it was at that point that she heard or felt him approach her from be- hind and she reacted to that as well as to what he was saying. She spun around with the knife in her hand and that was when he was stabbed. Ms. Richards earlier told the court that the patholo- gist’s examination showed a single stab wound to the left upper chest, front to back, left to right and down- ward, penetrating the lung and aorta, the largest artery of the heart. Justice Greaves empha- sized that there was no second stabbing motion – only the one that had caused the fatal injuries. This was important, he said, in de- termining the level of Ms. Watler’s culpability. He said that, after Mr. Sherieff got the better of her in the physical encounter, it was reasonable to think she may have expected further violence against her. In the judge’s view, she had reacted spontaneously. There was no time to think, no time to plan. There was no evidence she took up the knife; the evi- dence suggested that she al- ready had it in her hand to cut up the chicken. In his view, the evidence did not support any mali- ciousness or gross negli- gence on her part. “It appears to me to be more akin to an accident …. a very unfortunate occur- rence,” he said. Ms. Richards cited cir- cumstances she said were aggravating. The knife was found outside the apartment and there was no blood on it, indicating that it had been cleaned. It would have been expected that Ms. Watler’s clothing would have had Mr. Sherieff’s blood on it, but first responders did not see any, indicating that she had changed her clothes. Ms. Richards suggested a starting point for sentencing in the range of 10 to 12 years. A victim impact statement said that Mr. Sherieff’s family had not been able to come to terms with his death. De- spite their grief though, they suggested Ms. Watler receive some intervention treatment relative to her use of alcohol. Mr. Sherieff said the couple used to get into ar- guments. After his son died, he could not eat or sleep. Sometimes he just sat down and looked at his pic- tures and cried. Other witnesses com- menting on the couple said it appeared there were various assaults against each other from time to time. Mr. Tonner said Ms. Watler wanted to express in the presence of his family mem- bers and her family mem- bers how deeply and desper- ately sorry she was. She said that, if she could go back in time and stop it, she would. If she could replace him with herself, she would. She had loved him and was genuinely remorseful, the attorney re- ported. Ms. Watler was 25 at the time of the incident. When it happened, she had not sought to arm her- self, as the knife was already in her hand. When he stag- gered and fell, she thought he hit his head on the floor. She called 911, reported that he was not breathing, and tried to administer CPR while waiting. When the emergency medical technicians arrived, she was crying and in shock. “She is still in shock to a certain degree,” he commented. He argued that provo- cation was substantial and urged a starting range for sentence of between four and nine years. The judge agreed that, in these particular circum- stances on this particular day, the provocation was substantial. He did not find that the aggravating fea- tures warranted any up- ward adjustment of the sen- tence. There was evidence to suggest she was acting in a state of panic, he said. The fact that she took im- mediate action to seek help was an important mitigating factor, he added. He found sufficient miti- gation to adjust his starting point to seven years. From that, he deducted one-third discount for her early guilty plea, resulting in a sentence of four and a half years. Time in custody since her arrest will be deducted. Ms. Watler is to take part in anger man- agement and anti-substance abuse programs. There was no evidence she took up the knife; the evidence suggested that she already had it in her hand to cut up the chicken. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Rosemarie Bodden, for- merly Delatorre, was bailed on Friday to await the governor’s decision to extradite her to Ha- waii for trial on charges dating from 2006-2008. After a two-day hearing, Magistrate Grace Donalds found that it was not wrong, unjust or oppressive to return the defendant to the United States. Ms. Bodden, 60, faces charges of identity theft, theft, 15 counts of forgery, and fraudulent use of a credit card. She is accused of stealing more than $70,000 from an el- derly woman she had been caring for in Hawaii. Dates of the alleged offenses are be- tween 2006 and 2008. Ms. Bodden failed to attend her trial in Hawaii in September 2011 and a warrant was is- sued for her arrest. The elderly woman has since died. Ms. Bodden, who told the court she had changed her name by deed poll back to her maiden name, also alleged in a previous hearing that it was her employer’s daughter who committed the thefts. Ms. Bodden was arrested in Cayman in August 2017. Var- ious hearings were scheduled since then, but she had missed several because she was in the hospital. Defense attorney Jonathon Hughes argued that she should not be extra- dited because of her physical and mental health issues, for which there was medical evi- dence provided to the court. He noted that she was cur- rently taking 10 different med- ications daily. She was frail and her support network was here in Cayman, including her family and her doctors. Director of Public Prosecu- tions Cheryll Richards sub- mitted statements from au- thorities in Hawaii which indicated that medical facili- ties there were equal if not su- perior to facilities in Cayman. She argued that Ms. Bodden’s condition of stress and anxiety was commonly found in per- sons facing trial. Ms. Richards pointed out that if Ms. Bodden faced trial, she might not be convicted; if convicted, she might not be sentenced to custody; if she re- ceived a custodial sentence, it might not be for long. In announcing her deci- sion, the magistrate noted that extradition arrangements are governed by treaties between the U.S. and U.K. and extended to Cayman. They set out the specific process involved: only if the court was satisfied that one stage of that process was met could the matter proceed to the next stage. This included receiving documentary evi- dence from the governor that the extradition request had been made in the appropriate way and that the offenses al- leged were in fact offenses in Cayman for which the pen- alty would be more than 12-months’ imprisonment. The magistrate cited prec- edent cases in explaining that “unjust” had to do with the risk of prejudice to the accused in trial, while “oppressive” re- ferred to hardship to the de- fendant because of changes in her circumstances. The magistrate pointed out that there was strong public interest in respecting one’s treaty obligations. Ms. Richards asked the magistrate to remind Ms. Bodden of her right to appeal. The magistrate noted that previous bail conditions had included a surety in the sum of $15,000, reporting to police three times per week and sur- render of passport. She added a further condition – that Ms. Bodden make herself avail- able to authorities as and when required. Extradition ‘not unjust or oppressive,’ court findsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS world record in the 1,500m freestyle for five years, said she appreciated swimming through Cayman’s clear wa- ters. More than 20 Olympic swimmers took part in this year’s event. “It is paradise to swim here,” Ms. Ziegler said. “Be- sides the joy of swimming for such a great event, it was a wonderful seeing the fish while swimming through the water. I was swimming along and I felt, ‘I am the luck- iest person.’” The first sea swim Frank Flowers put on as a fund- raiser drew 60 swimmers. Last year, the field hit 1,000. Organizers said it has been recognized as one of the top 10 open water swims in the world. Mr. Flowers said that is what he expected when he launched the event. “We had a vision and a dream,” he said. “And with the support of govern- ment and the people, any- thing can happen.” The sea swim raises tens of thousands of dollars for charity each year. This year’s recipient is the Cayman Is- lands Crisis Centre. At this year’s event, Mr. Flowers was presented the R. Max Ritter Award by Dale Neuburger of United States Aquatic Sports, the agency that represents the national governing bodies for each of the Olympic aquatic sports. The group’s website says the award is presented to the in- dividual or organization that has “contributed the most to the advancement of un- derstanding and good will among nations through inter- national participation in am- ateur aquatic sports.’ “I think all of you know what incredible vision and leadership Mr. Flowers has brought to this event,” Mr. Neuburger told the crowd of swimmers and sup- porters at the post-race awards ceremony. What was once a “little se- cret” of the Cayman Islands has become an internation- ally recognized event, he said. Mr. Flowers said he was humbled to receive the award. “I’ll use it to pro- mote swimming in Cayman,” he said. He and his family have been doing that for years, which likely accounted for the widespread impression among participants on how well orga- nized the race was. His daughter, Dara Flowers, said it takes months of work to put on the event. “It does take an entire vil- lage,” Ms. Flowers said. “We start about eight or nine months out. We have an en- tire army of people, over 200 volunteers.” Jack Siebold, 63, who came from Newark, Delaware, with his wife and another couple, said he was impressed by his first encounter with the sea swim. “Very nice people, well or- ganized, totally awesome,” Mr. Siebold said after finishing the swim. “We’ll do it again.” Before the race, Mr. Siebold said he was drawn to the sea swim for the same reason many others expressed. “If you’re going to do a dis- tance swim,” he said, “why not do it in the Cayman Islands?” At the start area, swimmers enjoyed access to free water and other drinks, as well as free, reef-friendly sunscreen that was being slathered on by volunteers with the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Marieke van Belzen, 37 and Alice Aherne, 36, said it was important to provide skin pro- tection to the competitors. It 26th annual Flowers Sea Swim attracts nearly 800 competitors PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Brett Fraser gets ready to dive into the water for the Flowers Sea Swim.Dara Flowers and father Frank Flowers Sr. get ready for the family’s annual sea swim on Seven Mile Beach. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Cayman athlete Marius Acker poses after the race. The Pinnacle Media team enjoys a day on the beach at the company’s photo booth. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE Olympian Jordan Wilimovsky took first place overall in the one-mile swim. - PHOTO: SHANKAR Olympian Stephanie Horner took first place in the women’s category. - PHOTO: SHANKAR Cayman Islands swimmer Lara Butler joins the race.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 Kelsey Grammer gets serious for a cause MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Kelsey Grammer is mostly known for his work as a comic actor. But Thursday night, he moved a crowd of about 300 people at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort with a tale of sadness. Mr. Grammer, famous for his role as Frasier Crane in both “Cheers” and “Frasier,” told those attending a fund- raiser for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre stories of his troubled past, including the murders of two family mem- bers. His father was shot when Mr. Grammer was 14 and his sister, Karen, was kidnapped, raped and mur- dered when she was 18. He told the crowd he had wrestled with what to say after being invited to speak at the event, which kicked off a campaign for a new and larger Crisis Centre. The $1.2 million project will allow the organization to serve more victims of domestic abuse. Mr. Grammer said the center was pushing back on some of the horrors in the world. “This Crisis Centre, it’s all of you, a wonderful group of caring people,” Mr. Grammer told the crowd. “You’re all willing to hold a light up to extraordinary darkness.” The actor was asked to be part of the event by Crisis Centre board member Ronnie James Hughes, who is a friend of Mr. Gram- mer’s brother-in-law. The three were together in Los Angeles earlier this year and Mr. Grammer agreed then to help with the up- coming fundraiser. “If you have some good fortune, as I have, people come and say, ‘Can you help us out?’ and you tend to say, ‘Sure,’” he said during an in- terview before his speech. When Mr. Hughes shared his own story with Mr. Grammer of his sister being raped, the actor said, “Sud- denly this was more signif- icant to me.” He said he felt compelled to share his own story as an example of the pain that can impact people’s lives and the hope that it can be overcome. “Kindness is not as common as we’d like it to be,” he told the crowd, “but once in awhile it can shine a light that could possibly push back the darkness a little bit.” Jill Nelson, who had come to the event at a friend’s re- quest, said she was im- pressed by Mr. Grammer’s openness. “Kelsey’s speech was really powerful,” Ms. Nelson said. “For him to share that personal side was really touching.” Ms. Nelson and the rest of the crowd also enjoyed an evening of wine and food, which included a speech by Olympic swimmer Kate Ziegler and a live auction. A breakfast for three with Mr. Grammer, which the actor donated, went for $9,000. Ms. Ziegler was one of the top competitors participating in Saturday’s Flowers Sea Swim. Now in its 26th year, the annual mile-long, open- water event draws swim- mers locally and from around the world. Sponsored by the Flowers family, the event raises tens of thousands of dollars, which are donated to local charities. This year’s beneficiary was the Crisis Centre. “The Flowers family is not only supporting us fi- nancially, but they’re also supplying building mate- rials (for the new center),” said Ania Milanowska, exec- utive director of the center. “Our longtime dream is be- coming a reality.” Ms. Milanowska said do- mestic violence is a global problem – one in three women are affected – and the Cayman Islands is no excep- tion, although statistics on its prevalence here have never been gathered, she said. In April, the Royal Cayman Islands Police indi- cated that more than 1,400 domestic abuse cases in- volving both adults and chil- dren were reported in 2017. That number was more than twice the 676 domestic abuse cases that were referred to the RCIPS Family Support Unit in 2015. RCIPS Inspector Kevin Ashworth, however, said in April that domestic violence cases are still likely to be underreported. “Over the past three years we’ve seen an increase in clients,” Ms. Milanowska said. “In our opinion it’s be- cause there is more and more awareness and women feel more empowered.” That increase has spurred the need for a larger facility. Currently, the center has just three bedrooms that some- times house as many as 27 women and children. There is also a common area where the center runs youth-tar- geted programs. The new facility will have housing for men as well, said Crisis Centre Marketing Director Brooke Moore, adding that they too are subject to do- mestic violence, usually in the form of emotional abuse. Ms. Moore said along with the fundraising push, she is concurrently launching a marketing campaign to raise awareness of the center and its programs. Many Cayma- nians, she said, are not aware that the resource is available. “We want people to realize there’s a safe place to come to,” Ms. Moore said. “We’ve done some events where real victims speak out, let- ting the general public know that this is real and it hap- pens in Cayman.” One victim who has be- come an advocate is Paula Stonoga, a chef at Kirk Market. Ms. Stonoga left a 25-year marriage and her Camana Bay home six years ago with her son, who was then 10. “It’s not easy to start,” she said, referring to es- caping an abusive relation- ship. “I left my home with $10 in my pocket.” Her husband had taken all of her credit cards and she had to rely on the sup- port of the Crisis Centre. Today, she said, she feels she has overcome that past. She is even on good terms with her ex-husband. “You need to be brave,” she said, addressing abused women. “Believe in yourself and trust yourself. And trust the (Crisis Centre) system.” was a visceral experience. “Your sweat, their sweat,” Ms. van Belzen said. “It gets very liquidy,” said Ms. Aherne, laughing. Shade was at a premium as Cayman had its first day of sun in several weeks. A few swim- mers took refuge in The Ritz- Carlton’s poolside bar. Dean Max, 50, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, was having a pre-race Coors Light with some friends. He got involved in the swim 12 years ago because one of his business partners in his Cayman office is a member of the Flowers family. “Nothing beats this swim because nothing beats the beauty of it,” he said. “It’s such an amazing place. For people that like to do adventure swims, it’s great.” Julia Legenstein, 23, was sit- ting next to Mr. Max. She said usually 15-20 of her fellow em- ployees at the Brasserie restau- rant compete in the race, even though she’s not a swimmer. “I usually jog and do yoga,” she said. “This is more just to enjoy myself, spending time with my co-workers.” She lifted her drink. “Two beers and a shot and I’m ready to go,” she said. The race attracts a broad spectrum of abilities. Fiona Nadaraja, 49, said she could not swim a stan- dard stroke of freestyle last November when she started preparing for the swim. She had watched from the beach over the years as her children took part in the event and fi- nally decided it was time to get involved herself. “My goal was to swim freestyle the whole way and I made it,” she said, beaming and with a medal hanging from her neck after the race. “I felt comfortable because there was every ability [of swimmer]. I’d encourage anyone who’s a non-swimmer. It’s a sport for everybody.” She was standing next to her coach, Jacqui Retief, 35, who swam along with her. Ms. Retief is an accoun- tant and part-time coach and trained several swimmers for the race. “I had a couple others that did it for the first time,” she said. “Everyone finished and they did good times. I’m so proud of everyone.” In addition to the one-mile swim Saturday, the Flowers family also sponsors a 5K and 10K swim on Monday. Kelly Westbrook, 41, of Durham, North Carolina, said she does one distance swim somewhere in the world each year. She competed in 10K swim in the Red Sea last year and was preparing for Mon- day’s 10K Flowers swim. It’s her second time doing the Cayman event. She brought her two daughters who are 10 and 12, to do the one-mile swim. She decided to return, she said, because she enjoyed what she called the unique atmosphere of the Flowers event. “I had so much fun,” she said. “It was such an awesome community. The spirit of the race was very alive and cel- ebratory of life. It’s inspiring to see so many different people swimming.” Dara Flowers said that is a big part of what the event is about. “It originally started as a swimming event for fun,” she said. “Now, it’s a labor of love, giving back to the Cayman community.” Sea swim attracts nearly 800 competitors CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 Actor Kelsey Grammer approaches the stage to speak at the Raise the Roof gala and fundraiser. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Police service welcomes new graduating class of recruits SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com They have the right to re- main vigilant. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service celebrated the graduation of its newest re- cruit class on Thursday. The nine new officers will be moving directly from training to operational duty. The officers were feted at the Harquail Theatre Thursday afternoon, and they demon- strated their marching ability before striding across the stage to receive their diplomas. The recruit class ranged in age from 19 to 37 and successfully navigated an 18-week training course to become officers. “Policing is not easy, and the training has not been easy either,” said Sharon Graham, head of training for the RCIPS, during the graduation cere- mony for the recruits. “These officers have overcome some personal challenges. They have adapted to a more disciplined environment and flourished with the help and support of their tutors both in the class- room and operationally.” The recruits – Chevel Bu- chanan, Mario Dadal, Bennard Ebanks Jr., Caswell Ferguson, Matthew Greaves, Salaiman Muhammad, Philip Neale- Bodden, Jonathan Parchment and David Peddie – endured classroom work, four weeks of operational development and a week of driver training. The new officers will begin their careers by being paired with an experienced officer for on-the-job training, and they will be evaluated for inde- pendent patrolling while they learn. They will work through a two-year probationary period before being confirmed in rank by Commissioner Derek Byrne. “Any graduation is a great occasion for a police service,” Mr. Byrne said. “We’re wel- coming new blood, new people coming in that add value to the service. “Policing has changed over the years, and the traditional method of the notebook and pen is unfortunately long gone. We’re moving to a sophisti- cated, complex environment where technology will lead us. We need new people, a new breed of police officer.” Mr. Greaves was named best academic student and best overall student in the re- cruiting class, and he also delivered the student’s re- sponse to the remarks of- fered by Acting Governor Franz Manderson. Mr. Dadal was named Best Drill, and Mr. Parchment earned the Most Improved Student award. Mr. Muhammad was cited for the best embodi- ment of Team Spirit in the re- cruiting class. “The mere fact that you are here today tells me a lot about your character, your commitment and your bravery. You’ve already shown it,” said Mr. Manderson shortly before the recruits received their di- plomas. “We have given you excellent training, but there are things we cannot give you – attributes like passion, in- tegrity and professionalism, which are our core values in the civil service.” The RCIPS now accepts year-round applications for po- lice constables at its website, www.rcips.ky, and Mr. Byrne told the new graduates exactly what they can expect from their new profession. “You will experience the happiest and greatest times working as colleagues to- gether,” he said. “You will ex- perience fantastic, rewarding days where you’ve deliv- ered something and done something really important in your community. You will also see the saddest of times. You will see the saddest of things that society can throw at you, and we’re there to support you in those times and train you during the next phase of your training to prepare you for these issues and these scenes you’ll come across.” Nine RCIPS recruits demonstrate their marching ability before their graduation ceremony. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Acting Governor Franz Manderson performs an inspection of the guard for the graduating RCIPS class. The graduating RCIPS recruits show their skill before heading into the Harquail Theatre. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne addresses the class of RCIPS recruits.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018 Weep Not For Me Weep not for me though I have gone Into that gentle night Grieve if you will, but not for long Upon my soul’s sweet fl ight I am at peace my soul’s at rest There is no need for tears For with your love I was so blessed For all those many years There is no pain, I suff er not The fear is now all gone Put now these things out of your thoughts In your memory I live on Remember not my fi ght for breath Remember not the strife Please do not dwell upon my death But celebrate my life. Sunrise: 17th June 1934 ~Sunset: 22 October 2016 Bunyan L. Whittaker Snr. I mem ance From Your Loving Wife, Children, Grandchildren, and Great-Grandchil d gathered by electronic re- cording devices. Cayman currently uses closed circuit television cam- eras to monitor certain public rights of way and included with those devices are auto- matic number plate readers or ANPR cameras. However, the territory has never im- plemented speed cameras, which capture speed limit vi- olators, or devices that take pictures of motorists who run through red lights. The amendment bill would essentially set the legal groundwork for the use of such devices and out- lines an extensive set of rules for how data captured by those cameras must be used and stored. In order to defend one- self against the findings of a traffic camera, the reg- istered owner must prove they were not in possession of the vehicle at the time of the offense or that the owner did not know the ve- hicle was in possession of another person. Further proposed changes to the Traffic Law mandate that all legal drivers must have elec- tronic license plates affixed to their vehicles. A driver using a vehicle without an electronic tag, or with a damaged tag, could be fined $10,000 upon conviction if the Traffic Law amend- ments are approved. The Department of Ve- hicle and Drivers’ Licensing is still in the process of re- placing some 45,000 ve- hicle license plates with the new electronic tags. The electronic plates can be scanned by hand-held devices used by police or the DVDL to determine whether a vehicle is up-to- date with its licensing and registration. Motorbikes Further changes to the Traffic Law seeking to regu- late the “careless, reckless or antisocial driving of a motor- cycle or moped” are also pro- posed in the amendment bill. According to the changes, a police constable would be given specific powers if he or she believes a motor- cycle or moped is being op- erated contrary to the Traffic Law or operated in a manner “likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public.” Those powers include the ability to stop the person operating the vehicle and, if the person does not stop, to charge that person with an offense. If the constable believes the motorbike that has been stopped could be used in such a reckless manner again, he or she is given the power to seize the vehicle. The bill would also give the constable the power to search a premises where he or she believes a recklessly oper- ated motorbike is being kept upon “reasonable suspicion” the vehicle is being kept there. The search powers do not ex- tend to a private home. Refusing to stop a mo- torcycle or moped upon the orders of a constable can result in a $2,500 fine upon conviction. The amendment bill also sets out detailed rules for the retrieval of an illegally oper- ated motorbike after it has been seized and placed in police impound. Police concerns The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has backed changes to local traffic laws that would make it easier to seize and destroy motorbikes that are not street legal. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne told reporters in April that police were having difficulty seizing il- legal bikes in certain cases because of the way the cur- rent Traffic Law is written. “[In some cases] police offi- cers do not have the power to seize those bikes … and the bikes we take possession of, we cannot destroy them,” Mr. Byrne said. “We want the power to seize and destroy il- legal motorbikes.” Cayman law currently does not allow unlicensed, unregistered vehicles of any sort to be used on the road, but there is an outstanding legal question of whether certain dirt bikes or other unlicensed motorbikes could be made street legal with modifications. In 17 traffic prosecutions pursued by the RCIPS last year involving unregistered or illegally operated motor- bikes, the vehicles had to be given back to the owner in at least five instances because no offense was detected, according to records ob- tained by the Cayman Com- pass via the Freedom of In- formation Law. Eight of those 17 police investigations ultimately led to no prosecution. The main difficulty in those cases, according to records obtained by the Compass, is that police could not formally identify the mo- torbike driver. a “local disruptor.” He said, “The regulator is supposed to promote compe- tition. They best stand up and deal with this today because if they allow [it] to continue, the Cayman Islands will be back where we started – with a monopoly provider in the telcom business.” Logic is making 56 of the 64 matches available on Logic23, which will be accessible by Flow customers on its cable network on channel 111. Cus- tomers with an old-fashioned aerial will also be able to pick up the channel, which broad- casts over the air on channel 23. Logic had previously in- dicated that it would be en- forcing its exclusive rights to cover the tournament. DirecTV Latin America, which acquired the regional cable rights and sold them to Logic, wrote to Flow and C3 before the tournament in- structing them to blackout any feeds that have World Cup coverage. The move angered some football fans and complaints even reached the floor of the Legislative Assembly, with politicians concerned that over half the country would miss out on the tournament. Darryl Hather, general manager of video operations with Logic, confirmed the company had agreed on a deal with Flow to make the cov- erage more widely available. He said Logic would get a package of English Pre- miership games for next season in exchange. He said, “We feel this max- imizes the World Cup cov- erage to the people of the Cayman Islands, with the majority of cable subscribers having access.” He added that those that could not get access through Logic or Flow would be able to view the games “over the air” by hooking up an an- tenna to their television. Ini- tially Logic had planned to make four games available over the air, the minimum re- quired by FIFA as part of the rights agreement. But they have now made the majority of the games available. Mr. Hather said the agree- ment with Flow was es- sentially a private nego- tiation between the two companies that would allow Flow to broadcast Logic23 on its cable network. The deal was revealed at the last minute, with many Flow customers unaware they would be able to access cov- erage until the tournament began on Thursday. A spokesperson for Flow confirmed it was screening the games and referred ques- tions to Logic. Mr. Merren said he had requested that Logic make its free to air channel available to C3 cable subscribers but the request had been turned down. “C3 is extremely con- cerned. We view this agree- ment between Flow and Logic as breach of Clause 14 & 15 Anti-competitive Prac- tice and Conduct in there li- censes,” he said. OfReg did not immedi- ately respond to requests for comment but has previously indicated that it does not get involved in the contrac- tual or commercial deals of its licensees. $10,000 license tag fine proposed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 World Cup coverage to expand CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 COOLING TOWERS IMPLODED AT FLORIDA POWER PLANT JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Two cooling towers – both well over the length of a football field – came tum- bling down in seconds on Saturday in Florida as part of an effort to dismantle a power plant. The identical, 462-foot towers were imploded at St. Johns River Power Park in Jacksonville. After counting backward to one, a large blast sent the towers to the ground amid wild cheers. A huge cloud of smoke and dust plumed out and engulfed nearby trees. Jacksonville Electric Au- thority and Florida Power & Light contracted Total Wrecking & Environmental to handle the implosion of the cooling towers and demolition of the power park for $14.5 million. The project is expected to be completed in April 2020. They were the second tallest cooling towers to be imploded in the world, Total Wrecking & Envi- ronmental said. A proposed amendment to Cayman’s Traffic Law would fine drivers up to $10,000 for not using electronic license plates. 6 POLICE OFFICERS SHOT DEAD IN CENTRAL MEXICO MEXICO CITY (AP) – Six po- lice officers have been shot dead in the central Mexico state of Puebla by sus- pected fuel thieves. Puebla state security secretary Jesus Morales vowed to investigate the incident late Friday and said police had arrested two suspects. A vehicle carrying nat- ural gas was recuperated from the area near where the officers were killed. The central state of Puebla has been plagued by violence in recent years as fuel thieves target the pipelines of government- run oil company Petro- leos Mexicanos, known as Pemex. Fuel thieves in Mexico drilled 10,363 il- legal taps in 2017, or an av- erage of about 28 every day. The 464 foot tall cooling towers of the Saint Johns River Power Park on Jacksonville, Florida’s Northside were simultaneously imploded Saturday morning. - PHOTO: APNext >