ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 High of 89 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SCHOOL’S OUT: SLOW DOWN AND SAVOR THE SUMMER LOCAL | PAGE 3 EVANS FAMILY SEEKS DECLARATION OF DEATH HomeOptions Pay less for more cover with home insurance Save $250 with your first BritCay buildings insurance policy and a 10% car insurance discount . Many extra benefits, like $1 million liability insurance, are included in your cover. Ask for a quote! 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 Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp 10% discount applies if you have buildings Insurance Mandarin Oriental signs on to Grand Cayman hotel project Luxury brand announces Beach Bay deal JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group announced Wednesday that it will manage the long-planned luxury resort and residences at Beach Bay, Grand Cayman. The Hong Kong-based group has agreed on a deal with New York-based Melkonian Capital Management, which has been planning a major project at the site in Bodden Town since 2014. The Mandarin Oriental, Grand Cayman, will be a 100-room beach- front resort with 89 branded resi- dences, opening in 2021, according to the hotel chain. The resort will feature five res- taurants and bars, and the 67-acre site will also include its own farm, which aims to provide a “farm to table” dining experience. Plans for a luxury resort at the site have been discussed for sev- eral years. Government agreed on a $25 million concessions package with the developer in 2015 and conceptual designs were re- leased. But the project stalled with little information emerging until Wednesday’s announcement. Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell welcomed the news, saying the project was exciting news for the eastern districts. Ryan Melkonian, managing partner of Melkonian Capital Management said Wednesday, “We are pleased to partner with Man- darin Oriental to bring the most exclusive resort and branded resi- dences to the Cayman Islands. We are creating a very special destina- tion that we expect will be among the best in the Caribbean.” James Riley, group chief exec- utive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, said the Grand Cayman de- velopment would be the group’s second project in the Caribbean and a “fitting extension to our growing global resort portfolio.” He added: “The owner has as- sembled a spectacular site and has the long-term vision to create a unique resort experience that, together with Mandarin Orien- tal’s renowned service, will en- sure an exceptional offering in Grand Cayman.” New York-based RAL Develop- ment Services will be the “develop- ment partner” on the project. According to Mandarin Ori- ental, the resort will also feature a spa, fitness center, several out- door swimming pools and tennis courts, as well as banqueting fa- cilities and space for weddings and business events. Landscaped walking and cycling trails will tra- verse the site and a beach club will offer a variety of leisure and water sports activities. Mr. Kirkconnell discussed the planned development during Wednesday’s Legislative Assembly meeting stating: “It’s very exciting for Bodden Town,” and indicating this project would be the first five- star hotel built away from Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach. The hotel project at the southern end of Beach Bay Road in Bodden Town has been dis- cussed in various iterations since Foots found not guilty of obscene publication KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly a year after Cayman Brac artist Ronald “Foots” Kynes was arrested for possessing what was described as an “obscene publication” last July, Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn ended the pro- ceedings against him with one simple sentence on Wednesday. “You are acquitted of the charge before the court,” Magis- trate Gunn told Mr. Kynes. Mr. Kynes had been facing an obscene publication charge in relation to several nude statues on his property that allegedly depicted sexual acts, according to some of his fellow residents and the prosecution. The two-day trial in April at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre en- tailed the prosecution calling eight witnesses, who argued that one statue Mr. Kynes had on public display depicted one woman giving oral sex to a fellow female, and that a second statue depicted a female sucking the breast of another. Two other statues of women were also the HOUSE SPEAKER BLOCKS ATTEMPT TO BRING PERJURY CHARGE Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush has blocked an attempt to bring a con- tempt of parliament action against gov- ernment chief officer Jennifer Ahearn. The accusation brought by Opposi- tion Leader Ezzard Miller arose from an October 2017 PAC meeting and ques- tions Mr. Miller asked Ms. Ahearn about changes to membership of government- appointed licensing bodies. For more, please see page 8. This file photo depicts Beach Bay in Bodden Town, where the Mandarin Oriental resort is expected to open in 2021. Ronald ‘Foots’ Kynes PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY JUNE 28, 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) JURASSIC WORLD: THE FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 1:00 VIP I 1:30 3D I 4:00 VIP I 7:00 VIP 7:20 3D I 9:50 VIP I 10:10 INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 12:45 3D I 3:30 I 6:30 3D I 9:20 TAG (R) 1:35 I 4:30 I 7:40 I 10:05 BREAKING IN (PG13) 12:45 I 3:00 I 5:15 I 7:30 I 9:45 OCEANS 8 (PG13) 1:15 I 4:10 I 7:20 I 10:00 Cayman chefs mourn the loss of former Ritz chief Franz Ferschke SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s culinary com- munity is mourning the loss of Franz Ferschke, a man who made an indelible mark on the local restaurant and hotel scene in a very short amount of time. Mr. Ferschke, the former general manager of The Ritz- Carlton, passed away Monday at the age of 69. He is sur- vived by his wife Monica, his son Christian and his brother Richard. Mr. Ferschke worked for Marriott International for more than 35 years and rose from humble beginnings in hotel kitchens to be the com- pany’s regional vice president for Marriott hotels in Europe. He retired twice before coming to Cayman in August 2009, and he worked here for just less than two years before retiring for good in May 2011. But even after his retirement, Mr. Ferschke kept coming back to Cayman to judge culinary competitions for the Cayman Islands Culinary Society. “I think the industry as a whole will miss him,” said Keith Griffin, a former presi- dent of the culinary society. “He embodied the Ritz spirit of being a gentleman and a leader, and overall, you couldn’t meet a more lovely guy. He was friendly to every- body. He encouraged every- body. He shared his knowl- edge and experience with everybody. He taught every- body. He’s just somebody I’ll miss personally.” Mr. Ferschke was born in Peissenberg, a small town in Bavaria, Germany. He endured a hard-scrabble childhood and only met his mother twice before her untimely passing. He began his chef’s appren- ticeship around the age of 14. His wife, Monica, issued a brief statement via email about her long-lasting re- lationship with the love of her life. “We celebrated our 36th anniversary together in his hospital room on May 15th,” Mrs. Ferschke said. “We had known each other for three years before we got married and celebrated nearly 40 won- derful years together, trav- eling the world and making enduring friendships with wonderful people. I will have a huge library of memories to draw from always. Franz left me well provided for. As I look in the freezer and touch all the frozen soups he made, I’m re- minded that his love language was feeding those he loved.” Frederic Morineau, an executive chef at The Ritz- Carlton, remembered Mr. Fer- schke as a legend and a per- fect example of an unflappable leader who never let adversity get to him. Mr. Ferschke loved to eat, said Mr. Morineau, and he had excellent taste in knowing how to best serve Ritz-Carlton customers. “His major phrase when things happened – and things happen every day in the hotel industry – it was, ‘Well, it is what it is. There’s nothing we can do about it, so let’s move on,’” Mr. Mori- neau said. “From a culinary point of view, the fact that he was a chef, he always kept that in his heart. He was al- ways very interested in the offerings at Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. We orga- nized tastings for him before we changed every menu. He was always very helpful in knowing what would be good for our guests.” Jolene Nelson, executive chef at Pico Taqueria and owner of Nyamaste, a local, nutrition-focused food de- livery company, said her life path was irrevocably altered by meeting Mr. Ferschke. Ms. Nelson was an as- piring chef and a contes- tant in the Cayman Cookout when she met Mr. Ferschke, and he became a fierce cham- pion for her to learn and im- prove her craft. “He would laugh and joke with me every time we met that I was Ritz-Carlton ma- terial,” said Ms. Nelson of her relationship with Mr. Ferschke. “After four months of that, he said he wouldn’t have it anymore and I had no choice but to be Ritz-Carlton material. He insisted that I came and worked for the company, and that was al- most nine years ago. My en- tire culinary career started because of that. We always remained good friends. Every time he came to visit, it was hugging and laughing. It was as if we had just seen each other two minutes before. He was so encouraging to every- body. He was so positive.” Ms. Nelson, like Mr. Mo- rineau, remembered Mr. Fer- schke as impervious to pres- sure. There was no crucible too volatile to make him forget his values or lose his unflagging optimism. “Franz never wavered,” Ms. Nelson said. “Anything else could be happening and he was always just this ray of positivity. You could come to him with any problem and it would be, ‘Listen, we’re going to work it out and it’s going to be fine.’ The world could be falling apart, but it would be fine.” Many of the personal trib- utes for Mr. Ferschke men- tioned his humility, his integ- rity and his sense of humor. Janette Goodman, human re- sources director for The Ritz- Carlton, remembered Mr. Fer- schke for his willingness to do whatever task was neces- sary to keep things running smoothly at the hotel. “He was wonderful. He was a natural gentleman. It was just who he was,” Ms. Goodman said. “He was ex- tremely humble. You could see him helping our guests with their luggage at the front door or talking to a small child around the pool or sitting down [at] Blue with Eric Ripert. Everybody was the same. “He was the consummate storyteller. You could sit down, and he’d say something like, ‘I remember that. That happened in 1982.’ He remembered dishes he ate and restaurants. He remembered people. He was just always very gracious and kind and warm and ap- proachable. People didn’t even know who he was when he’d be helping them with their luggage. He preferred to not be in the spotlight.” Mr. Ferschke spent the last years of his life in Arizona, and his family said that a fit- ting way to remember him would be to make a charitable contribution to the Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Griffin, who repeat- edly invited Mr. Ferschke to serve as a judge for Cayman culinary competitions, said it was remarkable to see the way his former co-workers reacted to his presence. “It was notable how many people at the Ritz remem- bered him,” he said. “He’d been gone for a number of years, but every time he was welcomed back, and actually the staff would seek him out to say hello. He loved visiting Cayman. He always used to remind us, ‘Don’t forget me next year.’ “And we never did forget him, because we always looked forward to having him here as well.” “I will have a huge library of memories to draw from always. Franz left me well provided for. As I look in the freezer and touch all the frozen soups he made, I’m reminded that his love language was feeding those he loved.” MONICA FERSCHKE Franz Ferschke passed away at the age of 69 and is remembered fondly by many of the people he came into contact with while working in Cayman. Children flock to Savannah Primary School Careers Day Local children swarmed Calypso, the mascot of the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, at the Savannah Primary School Careers Day earlier in the month. The event, held on the morning of June 15, allowed potential employers like CIAA, the Department of Immigration, Department of Environment, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and Fidelity Bank to pitch students on exciting career opportunities of the future. - PHOTO: CAYMAN ISLANDS AIRPORTS AUTHORITY3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 For more information on CIMPA including membership and our 2018 Mark eting Conference, visit CIMPA.ky 'The Griffin Christmas Card' (Wall Creations) Anchor & Den (Marriott Beach Resort) Property Cayman Anchor & Den (Marriott Beach Resort) 'This is Cayman' (Vagabond Media Group) Delano Myers (Tower Marketing) Sophie Prior (Lustic Life) Kirsty MacGeoch (Tower Marketing) Vagabond Media Group CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS & A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS We couldn’t do it without you! School inspection framework completed After legislative approval, the Office of Education Standards has posted its framework for “Successful Schools and Achieving Stu- dents,” a template for evalu- ating both government and private schools and their educational programs. The evaluations are based on a four-point scale, which assesses schools’ progress on a scale ranging from weak to excellent. Over the past seven months, government of- ficials, administrators, teachers and the public have weighed in on the el- ements of the framework, which was fine-tuned in the process. Peter Carpenter, di- rector of the Office of Edu- cation Standards, said the most common suggestion he received from the public was to do inspections more frequently than the pro- posed four-year cycle. Ad- ditional input from the Ed- ucation Council resulted in changing the four-year schedule for inspections to a two-year schedule. The final document is posted on the Portfolio of the Civic Service website: www.pocs.gov.ky. Click on “Publications” and then on “Office of Education Stan- dards” to find the report. Evans family seeks declaration of death Family desires closure JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com When landfill worker Anna Evans went missing at the George Town dump site in January 2011, her family made frantic appeals for in- formation in the hope of finding her alive. Now, more than seven years later, they are issuing a new plea for anyone who knows what happened to Ms. Evans or has seen or heard from her since that day to come forward. This time the appeal is a legal requirement in the somber process of having her officially de- clared as deceased. “I would love for her to be alive, but at this stage it is very unlikely,” said Noreen Dixon, Ms. Evans’s sister. She believes an offi- cial declaration of death will provide some closure for the family. It will also assist the pro- cess of accessing Ms. Ev- ans’s estate, potentially al- lowing some of her money and belongings to go to her five children. Since Ms. Evans’s disap- pearance at age 37, Ms. Dixon has raised her sister’s chil- dren – Christopher, Celena, Chelsea, Cody and Cruz – along with her own son Zacheray, all aged between 7 and 19 at the time of the disappearance. “I’m not going to tell you it’s been easy,” she said this week. “It is hard; you have to buy clothes, you have to buy shoes. If they need to go on a school trip, you have to find money. “It has been very rough, dealing with six kids without a father around to help, but I have done my best.” Ms. Dixon accepts she may never find out what happened to her sister, but she hopes the process of having her declared deceased will make a difference for her children. “We want to get her es- tate dealt with, so we can get the children sorted out. I am trying to find answers for them,” she said. Attorneys from Walkers, which has taken on the case on a pro bono basis, are as- sisting Ms. Dixon. They have appealed, through the Cayman Com- pass, for anyone with infor- mation about Ms. Evans to contact a specially set up email address at informa- tionreannaevans@gmail.com. The firm has also been in contact with family mem- bers and with the banks to check for any signs that Ms. Evans had accessed her accounts since she went missing. Those efforts yielded no result and the public appeal is the final step in the pro- cess of providing evidence to the court that Ms. Evans is no longer alive. Under Cayman Islands law, after someone has been missing for more than seven years, there is an eviden- tial presumption that they are deceased. But Ms. Dixon still has to apply to the court for leave to swear he sister’s death as having occurred on or around Jan. 27, 2011. That declaration is a pre- cursor for an application to give her powers of adminis- tration in her sister’s estate. The law dictates that when somebody dies while married, as Ms. Evans did, and there is no will, that the first $20,000 goes to the spouse. As it stands, Ms. Dixon and Ms. Evans’s children simply do not know the value of the estate. It is possible, Walkers attorneys have cau- tioned, that they could go through this process and end up with nothing. Ms. Dixon said she is hopeful that the process will yield closure for the family as well as some funds for Ms. Evans’s children. She also holds out a faint hope that it may bring some answer to the mystery of what happened to Ms. Evans at the landfill site all those years ago. “I still pray about it and ask God to direct the path of the person who knows what happened or is responsible for what happened. Maybe this will prick someone’s con- science,” she said. “We want to find out what happened that day, but no- body is telling.” Anna EvansThe 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. School’s out: Slow down and savor the summer THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS School is out and summer break is here – to the universal delight of children and somewhat more qualified joy of parents, who tend to have a stronger appreciation for the intrinsic value of learning (not to mention the school year’s structure, routine and “child- minding” function). After months of early mornings, homework assign- ments and classroom lessons, children have the time and space to follow their own interests rather than a set school curriculum – whether that is through a jam-packed schedule of summer camps and lessons, traveling abroad to visit family and unfamiliar places, or simply “hanging out” with friends, exploring their neighborhood or getting lost in a book. Education, of course, should be every child’s priority. Attending school, absorbing lessons and com- pleting assignments are, effectively, their “job.” But little minds need time to rest and wander, too. Little bodies need to run and jump and play. Summer’s brief pause (or rather, a downshift in gears) in their ongoing education can help expand a child’s sense of self, of community and understanding of the world. It is a special time to sit back, relax and allow nature’s rhythms to reassert their authority over clock and calendar. Research clearly shows that unscheduled time for free play is critical to a child’s development, contributing to their physical, social, emotional and cognitive growth. For some students, the end of this school year brings much more than a respite – it marks the suc- cessful completion of their studies. We offer congratu- lations to those students who will be “leveling up”; high school graduates who will enter the workforce or pursue advanced degrees; and newly minted university and college alumni poised to embark on life’s next chapter. For those students and their family members, the end of the school year also marks the end of an era. Graduation is one of a few “hard stops” in life, along with marriage, parenthood and relocating to a new city or country. Usually, graduation marks a radical shift not only in status (from adolescent to adult, and pupil to professional), but also in friends, freedoms and respon- sibilities, and profound internal growth. It is an exciting (and sometimes intimidating) time of seismic change. Even non-parents have reason to celebrate the end of the school year – at minimum, because it brings a much-anticipated easing of rush-hour traffic, which is noticeably lighter than when kids are being ferried to school by car, bus and minivan. (Go ahead, indulge in hitting that snooze button one more time!) As we have opined on a number of occasions, whether you happen to have school-age children or not, every member of society is invested in making sure the next generation receives the best possible education. Today’s schoolchildren are tomorrow’s community and business leaders, elected officials, coworkers and neighbors. In that respect, they hold Cayman’s future in their small hands. Time marches on apace. Soon enough, the children of this country will be dusting off their school uniforms, hefting loaded backpacks, and filing into classrooms. Not so very long after that, the young ones will be grown, trading in packed lunchboxes for caps, gowns and diplomas. So during this glorious summer (and remember, for a child, every summer is glorious), slow down and savor the days that stretch ahead – and make this vacation a safe and happy one. Will there be too few jobs, or too many? Will there be too few or too many jobs in the fu- ture? We are told as a re- sult of the artificial intel- ligence (AI) revolution with endless robots, autonomous vehicles, etc. that there will be far fewer jobs. Yet last week, despite record levels of automation, the Department of Labor an- nounced that the country had reached the point where there were more jobs available than people seeking work. At the time of the Amer- ican Revolution, three- quarters of all Americans worked on farms; now it is 1.5 percent. A century ago, in 1918, despite a much smaller population, there were four times as many Americans working on farms than there are today, yet they each produced only about one-fifteenth as much food as today’s farmer. Where did all of the farmers go? The first farm machines, like the reaper, were developed in the early 1800s. But it was not until the 1850s that entre- preneurs like Cyrus Mc- Cormick built the first mass-production farm ma- chinery companies. During the industrial revolution, there were many commentators de- crying how the new ma- chines would destroy all of the jobs. It did not happen – many more new jobs were created. (There was one big loser, and that was the draft horse – which stopped being bred.) A big source of employ- ment outside the home for women in the first half of the 20th century was being a telephone operator. As the telephone became wide- spread, there was a fear that the country could not produce enough telephone operators; but, as auto- mated exchanges were de- veloped, there was an op- posite fear that there would be too few jobs for women. The fearmongers somehow were unable to envision that within a few decades there would be more women gradu- ating from medical and law schools than men. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Martin Feldstein, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Reagan, wrote: “The day is coming, experts tell us, when artificial intelligence and robotics will massively disrupt the labor market. Autonomous vehicles will put 3.5 million truck drivers at risk of losing their jobs. Checkout machines may re- place 3.4 million cashiers. That is only the beginning of the long list of jobs that will be destroyed by tech- nological change.” In fact, labor market disruption is constant. Fifty years ago almost no one was employed in In- formation Technology, and few were as recently as 30 years ago. Now, broadly defined, about 7 million people are IT workers. It is hard to imagine any future innovation that could destroy almost three- quarters of all the jobs as the farming revolution did – the result of the com- bination of much better seeds, fertilizers, pesti- cides, farm mechaniza- tion and greatly improved farm management. Internet commerce has already destroyed millions of relatively low-skill re- tail jobs, but even so there is full employment in the country. Where did all of these people go? They are obviously working at some- thing. Remember Kodak, Fuji, Nikon and all of the other household names in the camera, film and photo- finishing industry? Twenty years ago, who could have imagined that Apple would be the U.S.’ largest camera company and the world’s most profitable maker of telephones? Every month, Apple, Am- azon, Microsoft, etc. go out and kill entire existing in- dustries and large compa- nies with tens of thousands of employees. Yet again, we have full employment. So where did all of the workers in the destroyed companies go? Up to 50 years ago, few people had seen much of the world. The invention of the Boeing 747 aircraft changed everything and made the entire planet a playpen for even middle- class people and now even college students. The modern jetliner has cre- ated hundreds of millions of jobs in the hospitality in- dustry worldwide. Real plans are being made by serious people to develop a tourist in- dustry for the moon and even Mars. How many jobs will that create? Up to relatively re- cent times, you could ask someone what they did, and they would give you an an- swer you could understand – e.g. “I sell books in a bookstore.” Now people give answers that accurately re- flect their job title (e.g. con- figuration manager), yet often we have no sense of what they just said. I am willing to bet that in 50 years there will still be plenty of jobs for ev- eryone – just different jobs than most people have now. You may be thinking, that is a safe bet because Richard Rahn will be dead in 50 years. Not necessarily. Many people are working on curing the aging problem – and I intend to be a customer because these folks need a job. 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 In fact, labor market disruption is constant. Fifty years ago almost no one was employed in Information Technology, and few were as recently as 30 years ago. Now, broadly defined, about 7 million people are IT workers. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, July 2nd, Constitution Day (Public Holiday) Constitution Day PUBLIC HOLIDAY Monday, July 2nd PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Celebrate (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday July 2 No Publication Tuesday July 3 Thursday June 28 Wednesday July 4 Friday June 29 Thursday July 5 Friday June 29 Friday July 6 Tuesday July 3 Why the chicken did not cross the road: Exploring Patrick’s Island JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sometimes chickens can be very strange creatures. The age-old question, “why did the chicken cross the road?” is stood upon it’s head in Grand Cayman’s Patrick’s Island. In this case, residents wonder why the island’s abundant feral chickens won’t cross the bridge into the neighborhood. Annabel Dawson, a Pat- rick’s Island resident, found it interesting reading in the Cayman Compass about how Cayman’s road names offer an insight into the islands’ past, people and places. She too wanted to find out about her neck of the woods and why the chickens there act so strangely. Since living in Pat- rick’s Island for the past 30 years, Ms. Dawson has also wondered who Patrick was, and how the area was deemed an “island.” “Our house is 30 years old and was one of the original homes built here. At the same time, I believe the Crigh- tons built their home here and possibly were involved in developing Patrick’s Is- land,” she said. Patrick’s Island is a presti- gious development in Prospect of residential canalfront and oceanfront homes with easy access to the North Sound, the shops at Grand Harbour, Countryside Shopping Vil- lage, schools and town. It is considered a high-end neigh- borhood by Caymanian stan- dards, where affluent Cayma- nians and expats live. According to Dale Crighton of Crighton Prop- erties Ltd., Huig Zuiderent – a foreign investor involved with local shareholders such as former MLA, the late Jim Bodden – bought Patrick’s Is- land and developed it into canal lots in the early 1970s. Before that, Patrick’s Is- land was known as Omega Bay Estates. Mr. Zuiderent bought the waterfrontage of Omega Bay, which had been converted to Grand Cayman Golf Resorts, and began development. Mr. Zuiderent named “Patrick’s Island” and “Pat- ricks Avenue” after his son, who died in childbirth. Mr. Crighton said it is normal procedure in Cayman for the developer to name the streets. As for the chickens, that mystery is a bit more diffi- cult to solve. Why will chickens not cross the bridge into Pat- rick’s Island? Mr. Crighton said with a chuckle: “That’s a good ques- tion. I don’t know, but maybe I need to put a bridge in Crystal Harbour.” Fear of crossing bridges is a relatively common phobia, although most people with it do not know they have some- thing called “gephyrophobia.” Chickens can be just as neu- rotic as humans, and can be terrified by the most un- expected things, according to the website www.your- chickens.co.uk. The very word “chicken” is used to describe someone who is overly timid. Chickens also, it seems, are cowardly custards. Chickens can be just as neurotic as humans, and can be terrified by the most unexpected things. Patricks Avenue is named after developer Huig Zuiderent’s son, who died during childbirth. Patrick’s Island residents have long wondered why Cayman’s chickens won’t cross the bridge into their neighborhood. “In the June 27, 1968 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the fol- lowing story regarding Ad- ministrator John Albert Cumber appeared: “His Honour Mr. J.A. Cumber, C.M.G., M.B.E., T.D., Administrator of the Cayman Islands since 1964, has de- clined to serve as Admin- istrator of the Islands for a third term. “The offer of a third term as Administrator was made to Mr. Cumber by the British Secretary of State but Mr. Cumber, who has hinted that when he leaves the Cayman Islands at the end of July he is going to re- tire from Her Majesty’s Civil Service, would not re-accept the position. “Mr. Cumber made these disclosures when he re- plied at the banquet held at the Galleon Beach Hotel last Friday night. The func- tion was given by the Civil Service Association to honour His Honour and Mrs. Cumber before they leave on July 31. “Mr. Cumber gave four basic reasons for not con- tinuing as the Islands’ Ad- ministrator and in the first one he echoed his perpetual desire for change. ‘These is- lands NEED a change,’ he said, ‘at the top.’ Continuing, the Administrator told the very large gathering of civil servants and their spouses that after nearly five years here, he thought ‘a fresh mind is required to attend our remaining problems and development.’ “Mr. Cumber said he con- sidered carrying on for a third term but afterwards decided against it for the in- terest of the islands. ‘I was tempted to accept the Sec- retary of State’s offer of a third term of service,’ he disclosed, ‘but I refused be- cause after the pressures of the last two tours, it would be only too easy to relax and turn this into a sine- cure of a job. This would not be in the people’s best in- terest,’ he said. “During his fourth reason for leaving ‘These beautiful Islands’, the Ad- ministrator gave a broad hint that he is quitting the public service. “‘After 30 years as a sol- ider and civil servant,’ he said, ‘I yearn to be my own master instead of every- one’s servant.’ Mr. Cumber said as he … wants to make his home somewhere. ‘This is the time to do it,’ he pleaded.” 50 YEARS AGO Cumber declines third term as administratorThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY, JUNE 30 PUBLIC MEETING: Windsor Park Community Meeting. MLAs Barbara Conolly and David Wight will be present. Windsor Park Basketball Court. 6 p.m. 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 6-10 a.m. Items available include ladies’ accessories and bags, clothing and shoes, books, toys, linens, household items and more. SUNDAY, JULY 1 MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINERS: All members of the Cayman Music and Entertainment Association are urged to attend a general meeting 3–5 p.m. at the Harquail Mini-Theatre. Refreshments will be served. TUESDAY, JULY 10 MLA PUBLIC MEETING: Barbara Conolly, MLA for George Town South, invites all to attend a community meeting on the redevelopment of Smith Barcadere (Smith Cove). 6:30-9 p.m. South Sound Community Centre. For more details contact 745-0487. SATURDAY, JULY 14 MANGO SEASON AT MUSEUM: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the National Museum on the waterfront. Admission free. Local food and mango products on sale. Mango peeling competition. Catboat rides, kids activities. Rescheduled from July 7. TUESDAY, JULY 31 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. For fees and registration forms that are available online, contractors should visit www.planning.ky/ boards-all/builders-board. SUMMER CAMPS YMCA: Friday, June 29 is the last day to register for Y summer camps. Open every weekday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Field of Dreams For more information about camp prices or registration details, log on to www.ymcacayman.ky. Scholarships are also available to those in financial need. For more information email ysummercamp@ ymcacayman.ky. Camps will run July 3 to Aug. 24. NATIONAL MUSEUM: For students ages 9 to 12. July 16-20, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The theme is Cayman Nature – Safeguarding Biodiversity. Students will learn about the different habitats, flora and fauna, visiting Cayman Crystal Caves, Mastic Trail and Botanic Park. Cost of camp includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, admission to parks, a cap and T-shirt. To register, complete form at National Museum Gift Shop during regular hours or email shenicemcfield@ museum.ky Cost is $100 per child. A $50 deposit should be made upon confirmation. Balance due one week before the first day of camp. NATIONAL TRUST: For kids ages 6–12. July 23-27, July 30 – Aug. 3. 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dart Family Park. Includes field trips. Email education@nationaltrust.org.ky to register. $275 for members, $300 for non-members. KIDSABILITY: A variety of programs for various ages, with activities from school readiness to bike riding. Contact www.kidsability.ky. ACTING CAMPS: Cayman Drama Society offers an acting camp for ages 8-11 the week of July 9–13 for $300. Camp for ages 12-16, July 30 to Aug. 3, $325. Both weeks run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Prospect Playhouse. Register at www.cds.ky. GENERAL INTEREST ART EXHIBITION: The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands hosts an exhibition of works by students who took part in the Walkers’ Art Clubs after school throughout the year. Approximately 100 students took part, from preschoolers to teens studying for their final exams. The exhibition consists of over 300 pieces and includes a cross-section of mediums and styles. Admission is free. Show closes July 6. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Friday is the last day to register for YMCA’s summer camps, which open every weekday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Field of Dreams. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 at least 2012, but Mr. Kirk- connell told the Cayman Compass that the Man- darin Hotel deal now being proposed looked solid. “All indications given to us, with the Melko- nian group behind it, we feel confident that it is going forward,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. “This is good news,” said Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush, who began talks about the develop- ment as early as 2012 when he was premier. Opposition lawmakers raised some questions about the project, in- cluding East End MLA Arden McLean, who asked whether the Man- darin Hotel group was the same one that started a project in East End nearly two decades ago that was not finished. Mr. McLean also asked whether the project’s former frontman, New York investment manager John Layton, was still involved. Mr. Kirkconnell replied that he was not and that the de- velopment was being led by Mr. Melkonian. Newlands MLA Alva Suckoo also asked whether road extensions connecting Manse Road in central Bodden Town with Beach Bay Road were still planned to be completed. Mr. Kirkconnell said he had not been briefed on all the project details as of Wednesday. Additional reporting by Brent Fuller subject of the trial, but did not receive nearly as much attention from the prosecu- tion or witnesses. Mr. Kynes, for his part, submitted a slew of docu- ments in his defense and contended that “my art is love.” He defended himself throughout the trial. On Thursday, Magistrate Gunn sided with Mr. Kynes, ruling that the witnesses were mistaken in finding the statues in question sexual. The judge said she exam- ined the statues in question during a visit to Mr. Kynes’s Cayman Brac property, where the art was put on display in 2017. She discounted the in- terpretation that two of the statues were overtly sexual: the one allegedly depicting oral sex did not, in fact, ex- plicitly show female genitals, she said. Regarding the other statue, the judge said one woman’s head was simply resting on another woman’s chest, rather than depicting a sexual act. She added that she did not think Cayman’s com- munity would find the others sexual or obscene, “save for a very few prudish individuals.” Along with observing the statues, Magistrate Gunn also considered the morals and values held by Cay- man’s general population, and whether the statues may have offended those morals. While acknowledging that Caymanians are gener- ally a “god-fearing people,” the judge also stated that Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac both regularly hold gov- ernment-sponsored events such as Batabano and Brac- cannal. These events involve sexual depictions, including women wining and grinding on men’s crotches during the carnival-like celebrations. “This sets the tone of our moral standard of the is- lands,” Magistrate Gunn said in her ruling. After being acquitted of the charge, Mr. Kynes said he bears no ill-will to the people who attempted to prosecute him for his art. “I have no animosity to- wards them,” he said. “If you have hate in your heart, all you’re hurting is yourself.” However, Mr. Kynes also said the prosecution against him was a “witch hunt.” He had the statues on his prop- erty for months, he said, and was only arrested after also displaying the names of some of the people who had been complaining against him. Moving forward, the Brac artist said he is working on several other statues, in- cluding one that has a Lord of the Rings theme and an- other that expresses his love for animals. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Foots found not guilty of obscene publication Mandarin Oriental signs on for Grand Cayman hotel project CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Ronald ‘Foots’ Kynes, left, looks on as Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn examines his statues in April as part of his trial for possessing an obscene publication. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA ROAD CLOSURES ANNOUNCED FOR XTREME WET FETE Certain George Town roads will be closed Thursday and Friday for the Xtreme Wet Fete. On Thursday, Harbour Drive will be closed between Shedden Road and Fort Street from 6:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. On Friday, Cardinall Avenue will be closed from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. Harbour Drive will be closed between Shedden Road and Fort Street from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Joe Jackson, patriarch of musical Jackson family, dies at age 89 NEW YORK (AP) – Joe Jackson, the fearsome stage dad of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and their tal- ented siblings, who took his family from poverty and launched a musical dynasty, died Wednesday. He was 89. Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg told The Associated Press that Joe Jackson died at Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas. Fudenberg said he did not have full details, and a deter- mination was not immedi- ately made about whether his office would handle the case. “We are reviewing the cir- cumstances surrounding the death, but there is no reason to believe it’s anything other than a natural death,” the coroner said. Jackson was a guitarist who put his own musical am- bitions aside to work in the steel mills to support his wife and nine children in Gary, In- diana. But he far surpassed his own dreams through his children, particularly his ex- ceptionally gifted seventh child, Michael. Fronted by the then-pint-sized wonder and brothers Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Jackie, the Jackson 5 was an instant sensation in 1969 and became the first phase of superstardom for the Jackson family. Over the following decades, millions would listen to both group and solo recordings by the Jackson 5 (who later became known as The Jacksons) and Michael would become one of the most popular enter- tainers in history. Joe Jackson died two days after the nine-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death. The King of Pop’s es- tate released a statement mourning the death. “We are deeply saddened by Mr. Jackson’s passing and extend our heartfelt con- dolences to Mrs. Katherine Jackson and the family. Joe was a strong man who ac- knowledged his own imper- fections and heroically deliv- ered his sons and daughters from the steel mills of Gary, Indiana, to worldwide pop superstardom,” said John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the estate. “Papa Joe,” as he would become known, ruled through his stern, intimidating and unflinching presence, which became so indelible it was part of black popular cul- ture, even referenced in song and on TV. “This is bad, real bad Mi- chael Jackson, Now I’m mad, real mad Joe Jackson,” Kanye West rhymed in Keri Hilson’s 2009 hit, “Knock You Down.” Michael and other sib- lings would allege physical abuse at their father’s hands. “We’d perform for him and he’d critique us. If you messed up, you got hit, some- times with a belt, some- times with a switch. My fa- ther was real strict with us – real strict,” Michael Jackson wrote in his 1985 autobiog- raphy, “Moonwalk.” La Toya Jackson would go as far as to accuse him of sexual abuse in the early 1990s, when she was es- tranged from her entire family, but she later recanted, saying her former husband had coerced her to make such claims. She and her father later reconciled. By the time they were adults, most of the Jackson siblings had dismissed him as their manager; Michael and Joseph’s relationship was famously fractured; Mi- chael Jackson revered his mother, Katherine, but kept his distance from Joseph. However, during some of his son’s most difficult times, including his 2004 molesta- tion trial, Joseph was by his side, and Michael acknowl- edged their complicated re- lationship in a 2001 speech about healthy relation- ships between parents and their children: “I have begun to see that even my father’s harshness was a kind of love, an im- perfect love, to be sure, but love nonetheless. He pushed me because he loved me. Be- cause he wanted no man ever to look down at his off- spring,” he said. “And now with time, rather than bit- terness, I feel blessing. In the place of anger, I have found absolution. And in the place of revenge I have found rec- onciliation. And my initial fury has slowly given way to forgiveness.” In his autobiography, Jo- seph Jackson acknowledged having been a stern parent, saying he believed it was the only way to prepare his children for the tough world of show business. However, he always denied physically abusing his children. Joseph Walter Jackson was born in Fountain Hill, Arkansas, on July 26, 1928, the eldest of four children. His father, Samuel Jackson, was a high school teacher, and his mother, Crystal Lee King, was a housewife. Joe Jackson in 20108 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS House Speaker blocks attempt to bring perjury charge against civil servant BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush on Wednesday blocked an attempt by po- litical opposition mem- bers to bring a contempt of parliament action against government chief officer Jennifer Ahearn. Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller filed what Speaker Bush said he assumed to be a private members’ motion on June 8 alleging that Ms. Ahearn had knowingly given untruthful testimony to the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee in Oc- tober last year. However, on Wednesday, Mr. Miller attempted to move the motion as a “matter af- fecting privileges of the House” – seeking to recom- mend prosecution of Ms. Ahearn under section 16 of the assembly’s Immunities, Powers and Privileges Law. Mr. Bush denied Mr. Mill- er’s request that sought to hear the issue as a matter of privilege. “I am not persuaded that the circumstances [of Ms. Ahearn’s case] give rise to any live issue of perjury, or contempt,” Mr. Bush said, essentially determining there had been no breach of privileges, contempt or per- jury by Ms. Ahearn during her Oct. 10, 2017 appear- ance before the Public Ac- counts Committee. Mr. Miller’s accusa- tion arising from the Oc- tober 2017 PAC meeting in- volved questions he asked Ms. Ahearn about changes made to memberships of government-appointed li- censing bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council. Mr. Miller was ex- pressing concern at the time that changes to such boards could loosen cri- teria for licensing health practitioners. “I don’t think that there has been a change that we’ve changed the board wholesale,” Ms. Ahearn re- plied during the October committee hearing. “But again, I am speaking from memory and not from paper in front of me and I don’t know for certain.” That statement was in- correct, according to Mr. Miller, as the entire Med- ical and Dental Council was changed on Sept. 12, 2017, about a month before Ms. Ahearn gave her testimony. Mr. Miller wrote to Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Ms. Ahearn’s boss, asking him to dis- cipline her for the al- leged infraction. Mr. Manderson said earlier this month that Ms. Ahearn’s answers to the Public Accounts Com- mittee could not have been interpreted as “intention- ally deceptive.” Mr. Manderson said there is “no basis” for taking disciplinary action against Ms. Ahearn. It was unlikely that any private members’ motion on the subject would proceed during the current Legisla- tive Assembly meeting, given the Speaker’s declaration concerning “no live issue of perjury or contempt” and that the matter arose out of a parliamentary committee. Government officials told the Cayman Com- pass Wednesday that law- makers were going to at- tempt to finish all 16 bills on the assembly’s agenda by Friday and bring the House meeting to a close as early as Friday night, providing scant time for members’ motions and other business. George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan com- plained about the short time frame government had allotted to deal with such weighty matters as changes to the Immigration Law, much less numerous mem- bers’ motions and questions that are typically asked during legislative meetings. Typically, lawmakers break for the summer in July and/or August with the House resuming sitting in September. “So why hold the meeting in the last week in June?” Mr. Bryan asked, al- leging that it was an at- tempt by government to curtail debate. Mr. Miller’s accusation arising from the October 2017 PAC meeting involved questions he asked Ms. Ahearn about changes made to memberships of government-appointed licensing bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council. Court time must be respected, magistrate says Defendant’s arrest ordered, no bail CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Court time must be respected, Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez de- clared at 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday. “Waiting on defen- dants is ridiculous,” she added. She then issued a warrant for the ar- rest of a man who had failed to appear in her Summary Court. The man, Alejandro Cardenas-Powery, had pre- viously been listed for court on Monday, June 25. Court starts at 10 a.m. and a person on bail is bailed to return to court at 10 a.m. When Mr. Powery had not attended by 11 a.m., the magistrate issued a war- rant for his arrest. He ar- rived at 12:20 p.m. and the magistrate canceled the warrant. However, charges al- ready lodged against him included two for failing to surrender to custody on previous oc- casions. The magistrate set the next mention for Wednesday, June 27, but told Mr. Powery to be at court at 9:45 a.m. to make sure he would not be late. When he did not ap- pear that day, defense at- torney John Furniss of- fered to walk around to other courtrooms to see if Mr. Powery, 25, might be elsewhere. The magistrate de- clined the offer, saying she had left her usual courtroom at 9:55 a.m. and had not seen Mr. Powery in that area. She then ordered the war- rant for his arrest again and ordered that it not be backed for bail, which means the arresting of- ficers cannot offer him bail but must bring him to court. The defendant faces charges for burglary, damage to property and consumption of ganja. The daily court lists are posted on a bulletin board on the ground floor of the courthouse and each list has a notation of the number of the court- room in which the defen- dants are to appear. “Waiting on defendants is ridiculous.” MAGISTRATE ANGELYN HERNANDEZ WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump is shifting away from a proposal to im- pose limits on Chinese invest- ment in American technology companies and high-tech ex- ports to China. Instead, the president is calling on Con- gress to enhance an existing review process. The announcement Wednesday followed intense internal battles over the issue and published reports of im- pending bans on Chinese in- vestment that had sent finan- cial markets into a nose dive at the beginning of the week. Instead of immediate bans on Chinese investment designed to protect sensi- tive U.S. technology indus- tries, the administration said it would work with Congress to pass a bill that will pro- vide “enhancements” to the foreign investment reviews under the existing Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who chairs the in- vestment committee, rejected the idea that the administra- tion had softened its stance after seeing the turbulence in financial markets. Published reports has said the adminis- tration was about to embark on a far tougher approach. “For those who want to say this is being weak on China, the answer is no,” Mnuchin told reporters at briefing on the decision. “I don’t think this is a question of weaker or stronger …. The question was: What were the appropriate tools?” Mnuchin noted that the House approved by a lop- sided vote legislation to en- hance the powers of the com- mittee that decides whether foreign investment would pose a security risk to the United States. He said if this measure does not ultimately make it through Congress, the administration would return to a review of the powers at its disposal to pro- tect sensitive U.S. technology. The administration’s move, after weeks of esca- lating tensions between the world’s two largest econo- mies, was likely to be viewed as a conciliatory effort to lessen the risks of a full- blown trade war. The comments Wednesday stood in contrast to a White House statement on May 29 that said “the United States will implement specific in- vestment restrictions and en- hanced export controls for Chinese persons and entities related to the acquisition of industrially significant tech- nology.” That announcement said that controls would be announced by June 30 and would “be implemented shortly thereafter.” Asked about this apparent change in position, Mnuchin said, “It is not a question of whether we are focusing on China or we are not focusing on China” but rather an issue of using all available tools to deal with US-China trade dis- putes. Mnuchin also said that recent adverse market reac- tions to rising trade tensions had not played a role in the president’s decision. President Donald Trump on Tuesday pushed back on recent reports that the U.S. was preparing the invest- ment restrictions. He said the interagency investment com- mittee, known as CFIUS, pro- vided a lot of ways to pro- tect technology. “We have to protect these companies. We can’t let people steal their technology,” Trump said Tuesday. The House on Tuesday approved a bill that would strengthen the CFIUS law and that bill was expected to be consid- ered as part of a joint House- Senate conference committee reviewing a Senate-approved defense policy bill. The debate inside the ad- ministration on how to deal with China had reportedly become intense between hardliners urging for a tough approach with China and moderates led by Mnuchin who argued for a less con- frontational approach. Mnuchin told reporters that these differences had been overblown and there was unanimous backing for the approach being un- veiled Wednesday when it was presented to the presi- dent for his final approval at a White House meeting the day before. “At the end of the day, all the president’s advisers were 100 percent unanimous when we sat down with the presi- dent,” Mnuchin said. Trump backs off imposing China investment limits Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin walks to speak with reporters Wednesday at the White House in Washington, D.C. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 Trump warns Harley-Davidson President Donald Trump is warning Harley-Davidson that ‘We won’t forget’ about its decision to shift some motorcycle production overseas. The Milwaukee-based company said Monday its decision was due to retaliatory tariffs it faces in the escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and the EU. Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Susana Elizabeth Swaby Affectionately known as “Susy”, who passed away on Thursday June 21, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at Churchill’s Funeral Home, 328 Eastern Avenue on Thursday June 28, 2018 at 1:00 pm. Interment follows at West Bay Cemetery. e have been asked to announce the passing of Judge: Separated families must be reunited within 30 days US begins to dismantle Iran nuclear deal sanctions relief WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration on Wednesday began disman- tling the sanctions relief that was granted to Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal, a step that follows President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the international accord. The Treasury Department announced it had revoked li- censes that allowed U.S.-con- trolled foreign firms to export commercial aircraft parts to Iran as well as permitted Americans to trade in Iranian carpets, pistachios and caviar. It said businesses engaged in any such transactions have to wind down those opera- tions by Aug. 6 or face penal- ties under U.S. sanctions. An- other set of licenses covering other types of commerce, in- cluding oil purchases, will be revoked in coming weeks, with firms given until Nov. 4 to end those activities. The step had been ex- pected since May when Trump pulled the U.S. out of the landmark agreement under which Iran was given relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program. Trump said the accord, a sig- nature foreign policy achieve- ment of his predecessor, Pres- ident Barack Obama, was the worst deal ever negotiated by the United States because it gave Iran too much in return for too little. Trump also com- plained that the agreement did not cover Iran’s non-nu- clear malign behavior. Other parties to the deal – Britain, China, Germany, France, Russia and the Euro- pean Union – have criticized the U.S. withdrawal, which has left the agreement at risk of collapse. The Trump ad- ministration is stepping up efforts to isolate Iran and its faltering economy from international financial and trading systems. On Tuesday, the adminis- tration said it was pushing foreign countries to cut their oil imports from Iran to zero by Nov. 4. Previously, the ad- ministration had said only that countries should make a “significant reduction” in their imports of Iranian oil or be subject to separate U.S. sanctions prohibiting all transactions between their central banks and Iran’s central bank. A senior State Depart- ment official said the admin- istration is now telling Eu- ropean and Asian countries that the U.S. expects their im- ports to hit zero by the time the grace period ends. A U.S. team from the State Depart- ment and the National Secu- rity Council is currently in Europe delivering the mes- sage, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and spoke to reporters on con- dition of anonymity. The of- ficial added that the U.S. is working with other Middle Eastern countries to increase production so the global oil supply is not harmed. Some close U.S. allies are among the largest importers of Iranian crude oil, including India and South Korea. Japan and Turkey also import sig- nificant amounts of Iranian oil, according to statistics from the U.S. Energy Infor- mation Agency. The biggest importer of Iranian oil last year was China. MCALLEN, Texas (AP) – A judge in California on Tuesday or- dered U.S. border authorities to reunite separated fami- lies within 30 days, setting a hard deadline in a process that has so far yielded uncer- tainty about when children might again see their parents. If children are younger than 5, they must be reuni- fied within 14 days of the order issued Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego. Sabraw, an ap- pointee of President George W. Bush, also issued a na- tionwide injunction on future family separations, unless the parent is deemed unfit or does not want to be with the child. He also requires the government provide phone contact between parents and their children within 10 days. More than 2,000 chil- dren have been separated from their parents in recent weeks and placed in govern- ment-contracted shelters – hundreds of miles away, in some cases – under a now- abandoned policy toward families caught illegally en- tering the U.S. Amid an international outcry, Trump last week is- sued an executive order to stop the separation of fam- ilies and said parents and children will instead be de- tained together. A Department of Homeland Security state- ment over the weekend on re- uniting families only seemed to sow more confusion. “The facts set forth be- fore the Court portray reac- tive governance responses to address a chaotic circum- stance of the Government’s own making,” Sabraw wrote. “They belie measured and ordered governance, which is central to the concept of due process enshrined in our Constitution.” The ruling was a win for the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the law- suit in March involving a 7-year-old girl who was sep- arated from her Congolese mother and a 14-year-old boy who was separated from his Brazilian mother. “Tears will be flowing in detention centers across the country when the fam- ilies learn they will be re- united,” said ACLU at- torney Lee Gelernt. The Justice and Home- land Security Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Tuesday. It’s not clear how border authorities will meet the deadline. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told Congress on Tuesday that his department still has custody of 2,047 immigrant children separated from their parents at the border. That is only six fewer children than the number in HHS custody as of last Wednesday. Demo- cratic senators said that was not nearly enough progress. Under questioning, Azar refused to be pinned down on how long it will take to re- unite families. He said his de- partment does extensive vet- ting of parents to make sure they are not traffickers mas- querading as parents. Also challenging will be the requirement the judge set on phone contact. At a Texas detention fa- cility, immigrant advocates complained that parents have gotten busy signals or no an- swers from a 1-800 number provided by federal authori- ties to get information about their children. Attorneys have spoken to about 200 immigrants at the Port Isabel detention fa- cility near Los Fresnos, Texas, since last week, and only a few knew where their chil- dren were being held, said Simon Sandoval-Moshen- berg of the Legal Aid Justice Center in Virginia. “The U.S. government never had any plan to reunite these families that were sepa- rated,” Sandoval-Moshenberg said, and now it is “scram- bling to undo this terrible thing that they have done.” A message left for HHS, which runs the hotline, was not immediately returned. Many children in shelters in southern Texas have not had contact with their par- ents, though some have re- ported being allowed to speak with them in recent days, said Meghan Johnson Perez, di- rector of the Children’s Project for the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project, which provides free legal services to minors. “Things might be changing now. The agen- cies are trying to coordinate better,” she said. “But the kids we have been seeing have not been in contact with the par- ents. They don’t know where the parent is. They’re just dis- traught. Their urgent need is just trying to figure out, ‘Where is my parent?’” The decision comes as 17 states, including New York and California, sued the Trump administration Tuesday to force it to reunite children and parents. The states, all led by Democratic attorneys general, joined Washington, D.C., in filing the lawsuit in federal court in Se- attle, arguing that they are being forced to shoulder in- creased child welfare, educa- tion and social services costs. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the multistate lawsuit. “The administration’s practice of separating fam- ilies is cruel, plain and simple,” New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement. “Every day, it seems like the administra- tion is issuing new, contra- dictory policies and relying on new, contradictory justifi- cations. But we can’t forget: The lives of real people hang in the balance.” Other parties to the deal – Britain, China, Germany, France, Russia and the European Union – have criticized the U.S. withdrawal, which has left the agreement at risk of collapse. Protesters carry signs and chant slogans in front of Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles on Tuesday. – PHOTO: APNext >