ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 High of 90 Low of 79 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TINTED WINDOWS: RCIPS CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW … LOCAL | PAGE 3 COMMUNITY MEETS TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT OF SMITH COVE Lifestyle Protection From happy beginnings to happy ever after. BritCay has been protecting home owners since 1984 with the best insurance cover at the best possible price. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life cgigrp Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky Traffic police target illegal tint BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has handed out a much higher-than-usual number of citations for illegally tinted car windows in recent weeks. According to the RCIPS Traffic and Roads Policing Unit, 152 drivers were ticketed in June for having darker window tint than is allowed by law. A further 171 tickets for il- legal tinting were issued in May and 94 issued during the month of April. “While the Traffic Law does allow for a certain degree of tinting on vehicles, excessive tinting can cause various issues, including affecting the safety of road users, facilitating crime and interfering with police of- ficers’ ability to access and re- spond to situations in which a heavily tinted vehicle is in- volved,” said RCIPS Inspector Ian Yearwood. Mr. Yearwood said front windscreens of vehicles cannot be tinted more than six inches from the top of the screen. Under the Cayman Islands Traffic Law, a driver can be sen- tenced to six months in prison and fined up to $2,500 for having illegally tinted windows. It is left to the discretion of the commissioner of police, in consultation with the director of the vehicle licensing depart- ment, to determine whether the VICTIM PISTOL-WHIPPED IN ROBBERY AT CAPTAIN’S BAKERY Teen arrested in heist following 5th armed robbery of week BRENT FULLER AND KEN SILVA bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com; ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com A gunman struck a restaurant staff member on the head with a pistol Tuesday night in the fifth armed robbery to occur on Grand Cayman in the past week, leading to a search for a suspect that closed down a sec- tion of road in the island’s busy West Bay Road tourism district. Police searches Tuesday night turned up a firearm believed to have been used in the rob- bery at the Captain’s Bakery and Grill and a 17-year-old male was arrested in connection with the incident. Police said the robbery was reported around 9 p.m. when a man with a handgun entered the business, demanded cash and hit an employee on the head with the weapon. The assault victim was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening inju- ries, police said. A lengthy search of the West Bay Road area, between the intersection of Eastern Av- enue at the southern end of the road and Queens Court to the north, was conducted by police in the hours after the robbery. According to witnesses at The Wharf Res- taurant, which was located within the search area, a suspect was holed up in a nearby dwelling. The restaurant was placed on lock- down for a brief period during the incident. A number of people were trying to access the area to get to either the nearby KFC restau- rant or to The Wharf for its popular Tuesday “Salsa night” event. It’s not coming home: Croatia beats England 2-1 MOSCOW (AP) – Jubilation at an early goal for England in the World Cup semifinal against Croatia turned to disappointment for supporters Wednesday when Croatia equalized and then scored a second goal in the 109th minute. The result means Croatia is going to its first World Cup final. Mario Mandzukic scored to give the Croats their 2-1 victory. About 10 minutes before Mandzukic scored, defender Sime Vr- saljko headed a shot on target off the goal line to keep the score tied. Kieran Trippier had given England the lead by scoring from a free kick in the fifth minute. But Ivan Perisic equalized in the 68th after getting his foot to ball be- fore England defender Kyle Walker could head it away. England had been trying to reach its first World Cup final since winning its only title in 1966. Croatia, the first team in 28 years to come from behind to win a World Cup semifinal match, will play France for the title on Sunday (at 10 a.m. Cayman time) in its biggest sporting moment since be- coming an independent nation in 1991. France, which won its only title at home in 1998, will have an extra day of rest after beating Belgium 1-0 on Tuesday. Cro- atia will be coming off its third straight extra-time match. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » CAYMAN AIRBNB PROPERTIES GENERATED $3.8M LAST YEAR Airbnb reported that some 8,600 guests stayed at the 470 Airbnb prop- erties in the Cayman Islands last year, during which property owners earned a combined $3.8 million. Current and prospective Airbnb hosts gathered at a public meeting in Grand Cayman Tuesday to find out more about offering accommoda- tion to visitors. For more on this story, see page 2. England supporter Steve Piper and other patrons at Fidel Murphy’s bar in George Town, Grand Cayman, react to the action during the England-Croatia World Cup semifinal match Wednesday. - PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER2 LOCAL NEWS Tourism department holds seminar for property holders KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Peer-to-peer rental ser- vices such as Airbnb are be- coming increasingly popular throughout the world, and Cayman is no exception. Last year, some 8,600 guests stayed at the 470 Airbnb properties here, and roughly 6,000 Cayman resi- dents used Airbnb properties when they left the territory. The 270 property owners in Cayman earned a combined $3.8 million, according to Airbnb policy associate Ra- chel DeLevie-Orey. With government signing an agreement in March to work with Airbnb to pro- mote tourism, the service is only expected to grow. Ac- cordingly, Airbnb and De- partment of Tourism officials held a meeting in Grand Cayman on Tuesday to in- form property holders of their legal obligations, and to receive feedback on what can be done to make con- ducting business easier. Jessica Pawlik, the man- ager of the department’s tourism development ser- vices, outlined the process for property owners to be- come licensed. Ms. Pawlik said people must pay a $250 fee and book inspections with the De- partment of Environmental Health, the Cayman Islands Fire Service and the Depart- ment of Tourism. The entire licensing pro- cess can take between 60-90 days, she said. The tourism development services man- ager acknowledged that this can be an arduous process, but said that her department only has two hotel inspec- tors. Not being licensed can attract penalties of $100 per day per guest, she said. When Ms. Pawlik asked the attendees how many of them are unlicensed, a ner- vous laughter broke out in the room. However, the li- on’s share of properties are indeed licensed, according to Director of Tourism Rosa Harris, who said her depart- ment usually finds about 15-20 unlicensed proper- ties per year. Ms. Pawlik also advised Airbnb participants that as licensed accommodation pro- viders, they are required to pay 13 percent of their rev- enue to government by the 28th day of each month. One of the issues raised by Airbnb owners was that they cannot pay their taxes online, but have to pay them in person or mail them in. Airbnb owners also stated that there are ambiguities in the tourism legislation that makes it unclear as to what their properties should in- clude. For instance, hotels are required to have one bath- room per bedroom, but it is “open to interpretation” as to whether this applies to short- term rental properties, Ms. Harris acknowledged. Ms. Harris said govern- ment officials are working to update Cayman’s tourism legislation in order to ad- dress these issues. Despite the labyrinth of requirements, the lu- crativeness of owning an Airbnb property in Cayman is well worth it. One prop- erty owner said he has made about $25,000 a year for the last four years, which has helped him greatly reduce the amount of time to pay off his mortgage. Ms. Pawlik advised those interested in becoming Airbnb operators to go to www.visitcaymanislands. com/en-us/foi/licensing-in- spections to see a complete checklist, to ensure they are not frustrated by unexpected requirements like depth markers for their pools. THURSDAY JULY 12, 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) ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (PG13) 1:50 3D I 3:45 VIP I 6:45 VIP I 7:00 9:35 VIP I 9:55 3D THE FIRST PURGE (R) 12:45 I 4:35 I 5:30 I 10:05 UNCLE DREW (PG13) 4:35 I 10:00 INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 12:45 3D I 4:10 I 6:30 3D HOTEL ARTEMIS (R) 3:10 I 7:50 I 9:40 JURASSIC WORLD: THE FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 1:20 I 3:35 3D I 6:50 I 9:20 3D SICARIO 2: DAY OF THE SOLDADO (R) 1:45 I 7:10 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT CHOSEN FROM CARIBBEAN REGION Barry Rassin of the Rotary Club of East Nassau in New Providence, Bahamas, became the president of the Rotary International, this month. He is the first Rotary In- ternational president to be selected from his home Dis- trict 7020, which also in- cludes the Cayman Islands, Anguilla, British Virgin Is- lands, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Barts, St. Maarten, St. Martin, Turks and Caicos, and U.S. Virgin Islands. According to a press re- lease from Rotary Interna- tional, Mr. Rassin and his wife, the First Lady of Ro- tary, Esther Rassin, will re- side in Evanston, Illinois, USA, the headquarters loca- tion of Rotary International. This location often serves as a stopover point for a pres- ident who typically travels to more than 50 countries in support of Rotary projects throughout the year. Mr. Rassin, who was se- lected on July 1, takes over from Australian Ian Riseley. District 7020 is home to almost 90 Rotary clubs and 50 Rotaract Clubs across 11 Caribbean jurisdictions. The new district governor for District 7020 is Dr. Patrick Adizua of the Rotary of Club of Mandeville, Jamaica. “In support of Rotary In- ternational’s theme for the Rotary year, ‘Be the Inspira- tion,’ District 7020 will focus its activities for the year on the phrase, ‘Share your Love for Rotary,’ as it seeks to work with and support youth and to encourage and strengthen diversity in the Rotary clubs of the district,” according to the Rotary press release. While Rotary has been long associated with the fight against polio, the 2018-19 Ro- tary year sees the launch of a new, collaborative, multi- year initiative within District 7020 titled the “HANWASH Project.” The project is a part- nership with the government of Haiti and other nongovern- mental organizations. President Rassin said po- table water supplies are re- stricted in towns and cities across all 10 departments of Haiti at specific hours of the day. The project aims to bring clean potable water to all 71 communal sections of the country. Cayman Airbnb properties generated $3.8M last year Employer faces pension, wage charges Defendant says paperwork will clear up all matters CAROL WINKER cwinke@pinnaclemedialtd.com Luigi Moxam, trading as Cayman Cabana Ltd., ap- peared in Summary Court on Wednesday charged with offenses brought under the Pensions Law and National Minimum Wage Law. Mr. Moxam, a restaurateur, told Magistrate Grace Donalds that he had met the previous day with a representative of his pension plan provider and the problems had arisen be- cause of incorrect calculations. He faces eight charges of failing to make contributions to a pension plan on various dates between January 2015 and June this year. One of the charges relates to himself. There are also 11 charges of failing to pay the national minimum basic wage. Mr. Moxam told the court that he was meeting with an officer of the Labour and Pension Department that afternoon. He said it was not a question of paying; it was a matter of documents showing what the gratuities were. There were seven charges of failing to comply with the requirement to produce docu- ments as required by the Di- rector of Labour and Pensions. The law requires employers in the hospitality industries to produce details of gratuities received during a month and the manner in which those gratuities were distributed. The information is supposed to be provided to the depart- ment within six weeks of the end of the month in a format approved by the director. Asked how much time he needed to sort out matters, he suggested three weeks. Crown counsel Emma Hutchinson did not ob- ject to an adjournment and the magistrate set the matter for mention again on Wednesday, Aug. 1. Barry Rassin, pictured with his wife Esther, is Rotary International’s new president. He faces eight charges of failing to make contributions to a pension plan on various dates between January 2015 and June this year. One of the charges relates to himself. Last year, some 8,600 guests stayed at the 470 Airbnb properties here, and roughly 6,000 Cayman residents used Airbnb properties when they left the territory. Airbnb policy associate Rachel DeLevie-Orey runs down some statistics on how the company’s property owners fared in Cayman last year. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 Undergraduate Scholarship At Kimpton, Seafire Resort and Spa, the real you is a job requirement; your diverse background, talents and quirks are what help our company connect meaningfully with our guests. That’s why FORTUNE magazine has put Kimpton on its “Best Companies To Work For” list, seven times. The 266-room, 5 diamond Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa is inviting applications from suitably qualified Caymanians for a maximum of a two-year scholarship. The scholarship will be an award of up to US$25,000 per year for a maximum of two years, commencing December 2018. The Successful Recipient will: • Have been accepted as a full-time student into an accredited associate or technical program in a field related to the hospitality industry, for a maximum of 2 years, • Be Caymanian, have the ability to prove Caymanian status and have proof of having resided in the Cayman Islands for at least 4 years prior to application • Be between the ages of 16 to 20 years of age, • Possess excellent character, work ethic and have a genuine interest in the Hospitality Industry • Have successfully received their high school diploma and, have maintained a minimum B average or GPA 3.5 over 4 years • Be available to interview in person Application forms may be downloaded from http://www.seafireresortandspa.com/hotel-scholarship- program/, and returned via email to seafirescholarshipprogram@seafireresortandspa.com or in person to our hotel at 60 Tanager Way, Seven Mile Beach addressed to: Seafire Resort and Spa Attn: People & Culture Director Scholarship 2018 DEADLINE: 31 August 2018 (Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted) Community meets to discuss development of Smith Cove SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A passionate crowd showed up at the South Sound Community Centre Tuesday night for a meeting about the redevelopment of Smith Cove, also known as Smith Barcadere. George Town South MLA Barbara Conolly was on hand to share the plans for a re- furbished beach site, and the community turned out en masse to provide its feedback. “Smith Barcadere is our beach,” said Ms. Conolly. “And it’s for all of us. It’s for our George Town residents and it’s for South Sound, but it’s for the whole Cayman Is- lands. The fact of the matter is, we want to own this. We don’t want this to be a Dart Park. … This can be our legacy. The people of South Sound, the people of George Town, we really need to have somewhere we can call our own.” The property, which was originally donated to the government by the Web- ster family, is now ready to be expanded. A recent purchase by the government from a private developer brings the Smith Cove site to 3.31 acres, and Ms. Conolly advocates com- bining all three parcels into one for the sake of zoning and legislation. As of now, commercial ac- tivity and loud music is only prohibited on one parcel of the Smith Barcadere site, but the government would like to see those restrictions ex- tended to the rest of the site. A.L. Thompson, chairman of the Smith Barcadere Com- mittee, detailed the many improvements that would come to the site as a re- sult of the refurbishment. The committee would like to build new cabanas and bath- rooms, and it would like to pave a new parking lot on the beachside of the road. The proposal also calls for a pedestrian crossing from the existing parking lot to the beach, and it provides for sidewalks and curbs to restrict the hazards of road parking. The whole endeavor could cost $500,000, and the committee hopes to provide half of the funds through pri- vate donations. “We’re looking at about a $500,000 investment to do it right. The government, as I understand, don’t have the funds to do it,” said Mr. Thompson. “To get down to brass tacks, we’re hoping to raise $250,000 to put into this project and we’re hoping the government will match it.” Many of the residents in the audience supported the redevelopment of Smith Cove, but they wanted a chance to put their own stamp on the design. There were people who spoke in favor of eliminating the cabanas from the design, and also others who spoke in defense of them. Many speakers stressed the need for a lifeguard on site, and some questioned why the parking lot across the street cannot be ex- panded instead of creating a new one on the beach side. Midway through the meeting, one resident sug- gested either a ramp or a Mobi Mat to aid disabled beachgoers, but Ms. Conolly stated that the public beach on Seven Mile Beach already contained that amenity. Mr. Thompson, who grew up across the street from Smith Cove, said that he has seen much change in the layout of the beach over the last few decades. And he stressed that the people who want the beach to stay the same must aid in the redevel- opment effort or risk losing the site forever. “We can’t sit around and wait for government to do ev- erything,” he said. “You want to keep it, you want to retain it, you don’t want to see it de- stroyed. If we leave it the way it is, if we leave it alone, it’s going to be destroyed. I can tell you that. We need some help. We need your help to put this together.” A planned new building would contain a small of- fice for an employee to watch over the facility, and Ms. Conolly said she would look into the feasibility of hiring a lifeguard for the site. One speaker asked whether the improvements are meant to provide for the crowds currently coming to Smith Cove or whether they provide for an influx of fu- ture visitors. “It’s public land. I have no idea how you can con- trol overcrowding,” said Mr. Thompson. “The government will have to determine that. But the people are coming one way or the other.… If the property is opened up better, there’s more room for people to spread out.” Former minister Kurt Tib- betts was one of the final speakers to address the crowd at the South Sound Community Centre, and he urged patience and tolerance in the redevelopment process. “Listening to everybody here tonight and listening to all the diverse views … we must accept that probably no one in this room tonight is going to get exactly what they want when this project is finished,” he said. “And that’s how life runs in every- thing, including marriages and the whole works.… “The one point I wish to make is, ‘let us be a little tolerant of each other, un- derstanding the nature of the beast.’” SUGGESTED RESTRICTIONS A.L. Thompson, chairperson of the Smith Barcadere Com- mittee, read out a list of sug- gested restrictions that he’d like to see applied to the re- furbished property. Those include: No boating No Jet Skis or Waverunners No windsurfing No unleashed dogs No scuba diving No fishing of any kind No large events of more than 100 people without permission No bus tours from cruise ships The government is planning to redevelop Smith Cove and is inviting feedback from the public. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Immigration suspect ID’ed on social media Suspect arrested for being a prohibited immigrant The Cayman Islands Im- migration Department has credited social media users with identifying a Saint Vin- cent man suspected of vio- lating local laws regarding obtaining a work permit. The suspect, who had been living in Lower Valley, Bodden Town, was deported from the U.K. before he came to Cayman, according to Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Gary Wong. Mr. Wong said the depart- ment received a “number of complaints via social media” about the suspect’s identity. “After learning of the situ- ation, thanks to the public’s assistance, we sought confir- mation from U.K. authorities and it was discovered that the man was in fact deported from the U.K. after serving time on an 11-year prison sentence for drug importa- tion offences,” Mr. Wong said. The man, who is not being identified because he has not been charged with an offense in Cayman, was arrested July 4. He was taken into cus- tody on suspicion of making false representation to im- migration authorities and being a prohibited immigrant in the islands. Mr. Wong said the man would be removed from Cayman after the conclusion of his legal matters. The suspect, who had been living in Lower Valley, Bodden Town, was deported from the U.K. before he came to Cayman, according to Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Gary Wong.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. Tinted windows: RCIPS can see clearly now … In policing, details matter. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s crackdown on illegally tinted windows may seem like a small thing, but it sends a message that Cayman is a country of laws that are in place to be obeyed – not to be ignored, inconsis- tently enforced or “winked at.” Police issued 323 tickets to drivers whose vehicles had illegally tinted windows over the previous two months. In the same period, police issued 546 tickets for speeding, 25 for dangerous driving, 41 for careless driving and 67 for driving while using a mobile phone. Law enforcement’s renewed emphasis on moving violations is welcome. Although in this editorial space we have nagged about the issue of tinted windows (either enforce the law or get rid of it,) we would concede that the offense in and of itself hardly falls into the category of “major crime.” Yes, tinted windows obscure police officers’ view of what is going inside a vehicle (which may contain drugs, firearms or a person wanted by police), and vice versa, drivers’ view of road conditions. But what is most important, in terms of law enforcement, is that having illegally tinted windows is an obvious, meaning visible, contravention of the law. Ironically, a theory of law enforcement gets its name not from tinted windows, per se, but “broken windows,” in particular. When Rudy Giuliani served as mayor of New York City, he and his police com- missioner, William Bratton, embraced the thinking of sociologist James Q. Wilson who posited that law enforcement officials can greatly increase peace and urban tranquility by addressing relatively minor offenses (such as hooligans breaking windows). Locally, we would add to the “broken windows” list illegal motorbikes, derelict and abandoned auto- mobiles, aggressive drivers and violations of vehicle safety standards. As long as they are enforcing the law to the extent of their abilities and resources, the RCIPS should not bear the brunt of the criticism about the ubiquity of tinted windows. Indeed, the most effective way to banish illegally tinted windows from Cayman’s roadways is for vehicle inspectors (whether working for government or private auto shops) to refuse to sign off on automobiles and trucks with illegal tint, obscured license plates, and other violations of the law. It is ironic, is it not, that the government is now contemplating $10,000 fines for motorists who do not properly display the new electronic license tags, yet vehicle inspectors routinely turn a blind eye to unreadable opaque-filtered license plates. Go figure. Further, when police issue citations and make arrests for any offense, they should do so with confi- dence that prosecutors will pursue viable cases and courts will deliberate and arrive at decisions in an efficient and timely manner. Clearly, “tinted windows” are not the equiva- lent of more serious criminal activity, such as rob- beries, assaults or murders. It is not necessarily true, or even correlative, that people who flout Cayman’s “minor” laws are the same people who pose a real menace to Cayman’s society. Certainly we’re not con- tending that tinted windows are a “gateway” offense that leads to more serious infractions. But when low-level offenders are allowed to commit petty crimes without consequence, respect for the law (as well as society) is the real victim. THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Dollar will hold as reserve currency U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have caused some champions of global- ization to predict the de- cline of the dollar as the global currency as other na- tions take the leadership in cobbling together free trade areas – for example, the TTP less the United States in the Pacific, and China’s attempt to cobble together economic cooperation arrangements in the region. Central banks around the world hold major for- eign currencies – dol- lars, euros, yen and so forth – to back up their fiat money. Gold cannot be mined fast enough at rea- sonable cost to accommo- date economic growth, and its value – what it buys in soybeans and software – fluctuates much more than major currencies. As New York offers a deep, sophisticated and re- liable capital market and traders can buy virtually anything in America, cen- tral banks must hold dol- lars above all other major currencies to be taken seri- ously by private investors. The dollar accounts for 63 percent of central-bank holdings, followed by the euro at 20 percent, even though the U.S. economy is smaller than the eurozone. Most investors world- wide either buy securi- ties denominated in their home currencies or in dollars. After all, Mex- ican pensioners and busi- nesses pay their expenses in pesos but if their home currency drops precipi- tously in value thanks to a surge in domestic infla- tion, then a hoard of dollar bonds or CDs is mighty useful insurance. Consequently, the dol- lar’s share of cross-border debt financing has jumped from about 45 percent to over 63 percent since 2008. Globalization and dig- italization have created more intense trading rela- tionships among once-dis- tant and unrelated nations. For example, Chile re- cently signed a trade agree- ment with Indonesia but their two-way trade is too small to support a currency market with derivatives that insure against unex- pected exchange rate fluctu- ations. The answer is simple – import contracts can be written in dollars, and traders can purchase for- ward contracts in the peso- dollar and rupiah-dollar markets to off load risk. The dollar has gained an outsized role for the same reason English is increas- ingly the global language. In trade as on the internet, it is easier to have a common de- nominator – America’s cur- rency and mother tongue. Chances are those Chilean and Indonesian traders write contracts in English too. Despite euro aspirations to be a global currency, 23 percent of German con- tracts for imports are de- nominated in dollars even though only 6 percent are shipped from America. Overall, about 40 per- cent of imports worldwide are invoiced in dollars even though the United States ac- counts for only about one- 10th of global sales. Foreign multinationals and trading houses store hoards of dollars to con- duct business and hedge risk. Foreign banks take dollar deposits, pay interest on those in dollars and offer dollar loans. Foreign gov- ernments and businesses issue dollar-denominated bonds and virtually all of this is electronic, much of it unregulated and most importantly, the result of private sector choice. Sorry Bitcoin, offshore dollars were a private cur- rency for years – largely virtual, without official government sanction and lightly regulated – long be- fore initial coin offerings came along. And it’s run by much more trustworthy and careful people. Fact is no other cur- rency has the global utility and supporting infrastruc- ture of the greenback. The dollar stands on top a strong banking system, while the next logical can- didates, the euro and yuan do not. Germany’s largest bank, Deutsche Bank, is a basket case, Italian banks are well, very Italian, Chi- nese banks sit on a moun- tain of bad state enterprise and corporate debt, and private property is not safe in the Middle Kingdom. The U.K. pound and Jap- anese yen sit on econo- mies that do not provide the same mass and array of goods and services. And if Brexit proceeds, the euro becomes one national elec- tion away from collapsing – the Italians could con- clude the single currency is a manifestation of German economic imperialism. All this did not happen by government edict, it is King Dollar by acclaim of private traders, investors and plain old folks like you and me. And all along, you thought the Federal Re- serve made the greenback what it is. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI Sorry Bitcoin, offshore dollars were a private currency for years – largely virtual, without official government sanction and lightly regulated – long before initial coin offerings came along. And it’s run by much more trustworthy and careful people. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 Ganja-gun case now to include cocaine CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three men arrested in March for importation of 313 pounds of ganja and firearms will now be also charged with pos- session of cocaine, Crown counsel Garcia Kelly said on Wednesday. The defendants, all Ja- maican nationals, have al- ready pleaded guilty to importation and posses- sion with intent to supply the ganja. They are Assad Walker, 58; Owen Reid, 37; and Fitzroy Ottey, 41. When they were first brought to court after their arrest on March 2, the Crown indicated that a .38-caliber revolver and 49 rounds of ammunition had been recov- ered from one of the ganja parcels. Charges relating to the firearms had not been brought at that stage. When they were brought later, the men elected to have them heard in Grand Court. At another Summary Court appearance in May, new charges were laid for being concerned in the im- portation of, and possessing with intent to supply, the drug MDMA, known as ec- stasy, in the quantity of 49.3 grams (1.7 ounces). All three men pleaded not guilty to these charges in June. On Wednesday, the men were before Magistrate Grace Donalds for a sched- uled preliminary inquiry so that matters could pro- ceed to the Grand Court. It had been expected that the inquiry would have been agreed to on the basis of pa- pers already reviewed by de- fense attorneys. Mr. Kelly noted that the original ruling in the matter was that the men were to be charged with possession of cocaine, so nobody should have been taken by surprise. He said he had ques- tioned the officer in the case as to why that charge was not on the file. He said he was told that the problem would be corrected. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden, on behalf of Mr. Reid, asked for the prelimi- nary inquiry to be long form – that is, with witnesses giving evidence in person. “My instructions are clear – that there was no knowl- edge of anything on the boat other than ganja,” she said. There was no men- tion of the quantity of co- caine alleged. The matter was set for Tuesday, July 17. Attorneys expressed the hope that the relevant charges could be before the Grand Court on Friday, July 20. Mr. Walker was represented by attorney Neil Kumar. Mr. Ottey’s at- torney is Jonathon Hughes. The defendants, all Jamaican nationals, have already pleaded guilty to importation and possession with intent to supply the ganja. Adventist church honors graduate of Clifton Hunter High School The Adventist Church honored Brianna Bodden, a Clifton Hunter High School graduate, for outstanding ac- complishments on Friday. Pastor Kent Price, youth minister for the Atlantic Ca- ribbean Union, presented Bri- anna the recognition award on behalf of the Cayman Is- lands Conference of Sev- enth-day Adventists. Ivor Harry, the church’s educa- tion secretary said, “This is just the beginning of many great things.” Brianna gained the highest number of distinc- tions ever awarded at her school. Currently a second year A-Level student at Cayman Prep, she is aiming for studies at one of the choice medical schools in the U.S., Canada or the U.K. Brianna achieved 12 dis- tinctions in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certifi- cate examinations and an “A” in the British General Certifi- cate of Secondary Education. The previous record, held by a 2017 graduate, stood at 10 distinctions. Brianna was also awarded the Deputy Gover- nor’s Achievement Award, the Ethics Award, the Award for Excellence in STEM and, shared with other students, the school’s PTA award. “It takes a village to raise a child. I am not this super- hero; I am a normal girl. I just work hard at whatever I do,” Brianna said. She credited her motiva- tion, commitment and resil- ience to the support of her parents, Karen and Ernest Bodden, school, church com- munity and an unwavering faith in God. “My mother was always supportive of my high aca- demic performance while my father offered emotional sup- port,” she said. SCUBA HALL OF FAME SEEKS LOCAL HONOREES The Ministry and De- partment of Tourism are searching for a few local legends in the dive community. Officials are on the lookout for potential Cayman-based honorees for the 2018 International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, and that includes people under the age of 35 who may fit the billing of an Emerging Honoree. The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame was founded in 2000 by the Ministry of Tourism, and it seeks to recognize people who have made out- standing contributions to the scuba diving industry. “As a destination built on the foundations of our maritime heritage, we are exceedingly proud each year to recognize those in our community who have played a role in the Cayman Islands being recognized as one of the best dive lo- cations in the world,” said Minister of Tourism Moses Kirkconnell in a press re- lease. “I encourage ev- eryone in the community to put forward nomina- tions for persons who have helped develop this unique building block of our tourism industry.” Potential honorees must have made a contribu- tion to diving in Cayman through development, pro- motion, positive environ- mental impact or educa- tion. People can nominate favorites by visiting the website www.nominate- dive.com, and the deadline for submissions is Aug. 8. International inductees to the hall of fame this year include American pho- tographer Stephen Frink, who is also publisher of DAN Alert Diver maga- zine and website; Amer- ican Dick Rutkowski, who helped popularize the use of Nitrox and standard- ized hyperbaric chamber training; H.S. Batuna who is receiving posthumous honors for pioneering sus- tainable tourism in his na- tive Indonesia and helping set up the Bunaken Marine Park; German scientist and inventor Wulf Koehler who is being honored for his un- derwater camera housings and his role in building the GEO research dive vessel; Kazakhstan’s Boris Porotov who produced scuba films for the Soviet Union and trained Soviet special un- derwater forces; and Cap- tain Philippe Tailliez, cred- ited with introducing Jacques Cousteau to free diving, who is being hon- ored posthumously as an early pioneer award winner. The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame gala awards dinner takes place on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. The International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame is seeking Cayman Islands-based honorees. CHHS students pose with their trophies for top-ten highest averages in external examinations at the June 21 CHHS graduation ceremony. From left, flanking CHHS PTA president Marsha Smith, who presented the awards on behalf of the PTA, are Alexx Bodden, Brianna Bodden, Sabrina Douglas, Chrisann Haughton, Cristhian Sanchez, Ernest Smith, Abigail Smith, Theola Williams, Djimon Watler and Keanu Oliver. At the July 6 Adventist Church recognition of one of Cayman’s top 2018 high school graduates are, from left, parents Ernest and Karen Bodden, CHHS 2018 graduate Brianna Bodden, and Pastors Ivor Harry, Kent Price and Shion O’Connor. Brianna Bodden receiving the KPMG accounts award from that company’s representative at the June 21 CHHS graduation ceremony.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, JULY 12 POWER OUTAGE: CUC advises customers in the Tropical Gardens and Legacy Drive areas on Crewe Road in George Town that they will experience interruptions to their electrical service between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Motorists are asked to use extra caution on Crewe Road from the entrance to Palm Dale Avenue to the roundabout in front of the Kings Sports Centre as CUC will have a number of vehicles and personnel in this area. For more information, contact CUC’s Customer Service Team at 949-5200 or email service@cuc.ky. 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. THURSDAY, JULY 19 PUB QUIZ: At Fidel’s, from 7 p.m. Organized by Humane Society. Contact sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. THURSDAY, JULY 26 NORTH SIDE MEETING: The RCIPS, along with the North Side District Council, will hold a District Community Meeting 8 p.m. at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre. The meeting is open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend in order to express concerns and ask questions. Refreshments will be served. TUESDAY, JULY 31 CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The Builders Board has extended until today the deadline for all local contractors to register with the board. For fees and registration forms that are available online, contractors should visit www.planning. ky/boards-all/builders-board. SUMMER CAMPS SUMMER SCHOOL: Light of the World program has openings for children ages 5-11, until July 27. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Special emphasis on Literacy and Numeracy, with educational games, arts and crafts, field trips. Trained teachers administer the program. Register your child for continued progress in their education. For more information call 926-1541. BRAC CULTURE: July 9-13, 16-20. YMCA at Heritage House 8:30 a.m. to noon. $50 per week. Extended camp 12:30-4:30 p.m. $40. Contact ysummercamp@ ymcacayman.ky. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: The First Assembly of God hosts their annual Vacation Bible School July 16–20, for ages 4-12 years. Cost is $50 per child. Call 945-2182 for further details. NATIONAL MUSEUM: For students ages 9-12. July 16-20, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The theme is Cayman Nature – Safeguarding Biodiversity. Students will learn about 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 NEW THRIFT SHOP: One Dog At A Time has launched its “New To You” Thrift Shop. The store is open every Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. plus every Wednesday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the summer. The shop is at Unit 26 at the warehouses on Bodden Road, which run down the side of Kirk Home Store to the old screen print place. SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED: The U.S.-based Collaborate to Educate Our Sons has announced its 2018 essay/poetry contest for scholarships for the 2018/19 academic year. At least four scholarships will be awarded. They are for tuition support to assist young men to achieve their goal of graduation from college/seminary. Essays should be submitted by email by 11:59 p.m. on July 31. Applicants can visit www.collaboratetoeducate.org for details. OLIVE MILLER EXHIBITION: At the Old George Town Library. 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. ADULT OPEN STUDIO: Watler House Studio at Pedro Castle. Wednesdays 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays, 10 a.m. till noon.Organized by Visual Arts Society. Fee is $5 or $15 for non- members. Ceramics is $15 or $25 for non-members. To register email ceramics@ visualartcayman.com or info@visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. 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 7 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. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well-being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. Call 946–3067 or 947–1863. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE: Breast-feeding Clinics every Thursday 10 a.m. to noon in the Women’s Health Centre. No appointments, no fees. Phone 244–2649. CAYMAN BRIDGE CLUB: Meets Tuesdays 7 p.m. at Comfort Suites, West Bay Road; Fridays, 9 a.m. at the Rugby Club. For further information, contact Helen Haines at 947-3217 or Alex Wood at 947-3693. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Local contractors have until July 31 to register with the Builders Board. - PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES7 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 Cockspur Way home to the ‘Devil’ JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The name Cockspur Way in West Bay may prompt snickers from passing trav- elers – but for the “Devil” who lives on this street, it’s no laughing matter. “I wanted to call it Far- rington Road, but officials told me I had to be dead first,” said Ivan Farrington, who can often be found dressed up as Satan at the Devil’s Hangout in Hell, West Bay. “I tried appealing it to the Street Naming Committee to change the name but they would not budge,” Mr. Farrington said. Instead, he said, he went with Cockspur, named after the Barbadian rum that he once enjoyed drinking. Mr. Farrington was quick to inform the Cayman Com- pass that he gave that up some 40 years ago, and now spends his time dishing out hellish puns after he bought the old Fountain Road Post Office in 1987 and turned it into a tourist site. The area was also home to a piece of land on which many cockspur plants – also known as grey nicker, among other names – grew. The seeds of those plants, called “nicka” were used by children to play marbles. Mr. Farrington says he bought half of Cockspur Way from a man called Steady Parchment for 100 pounds some 35 years ago. In later years, he acquired the other half. Playing the Devil does not stop his belief in God. Every day, Mr. Farrington says, he asks the Lord to show him if he has done something he does not want him to do. Mr. Farrington was born at a place called Goat Yard in West Bay, which was named after the many goats that were kept in the area. Just a stone’s throw from the Devil’s Hangout, Mr. Far- rington’s home on Cockspur Way is not a bed of fiery em- bers but a grassy garden with lots of fruit trees, de- spite the blistering heat. His modern-day “Hell on Earth” home sits on concrete posts, surrounded by a well- kept garden and plantation. A walk through Cockspur Way offers views of mani- cured yards and many mango trees. It is a quiet street with a few family homes and no outward sign that the “Devil” lives there. The same cannot be said for nearby Hell Road, which is home to Hell Post Of- fice and the Devil’s Hangout, as well as the jagged, dark limestone formations that feature in many tour- ists’ photographs. The legends behind how Hell got its name date back many decades and vary from storyteller to storyteller. A faded sign at the site claims it was called Hell because an early commissioner vis- ited the location, and looking out at the barren, black rock formation before him ex- claimed: “This must be what Hell looks like.” Mr. Farrington tells an- other tale relating to an of- ficial who clearly was not a great shot: “Commissioner [Allen] Cardinall went be- hind the building to shoot a black bird that was resting on the pointed jagged black rocks. He missed and shouted, ‘Oh Hell.’” If Mr. Cardinall, who was commissioner of the Cayman Islands between 1934 and 1940, had hit the black bird, who knows what name that road might have been given, Mr. Farrington surmises. Hell may drum up images of a place of fiery punishment and damnation, but the site in West Bay is home to a gas station, a couple of souvenir shops, a nightclub, a post of- fice where letters can be offi- cially postmarked from Hell, and residents who look on as a succession of tour buses, taxis and rental cars veer onto Hell Road to deliver another group of tourists to the Devil. “Hell Road was known as Fountain Road years ago,” Mr. Farrington recalled. Back in those days, Foun- tain Road was just a dirt track through a cow pasture. A man by the name of Dody Parsons lived there. “Mr. Parsons never wanted anyone to drive a car through his grass piece for fear of killing his cows so he planted a big ironwood post in the middle of the track,” Mr. Far- rington said. “Whenever Com- missioner Cardinall visited West Bay, Mr. Parsons would remove the post and replaced it just as soon as the commis- sioner had left the area. “The commissioner told Mr. Par- sons never to block the road again and that was the end of that,” he added. One of the souvenir shops at Hell is attached to Mr. Par- sons’s old house, which he built more than 100 years ago. JOHN GRAY STUDENT TO TAKE PART IN YOUNG LEADERS CONFERENCE Leah Robinson from George Town, a student at John Gray High School, will join students from across the world next week in the annual Global Young Leader’s Conference in Washington, D.C. Leah’s teacher Cas- sandra Ebanks-Powery nominated her to attend the forum. In addition to being the head girl of John Gray High School and being the lieutenant governor of the Key Clubs of Grand Cayman, Leah is passionate about community service, according to a press release. “With dreams of being a financial analyst, Leah is looking forward to gaining the hands-on business ex- perience that the forum provides,” according to the release from orga- nizers Business Innovation, part of conference orga- nizers Envision. “Business Innovation is a great opportunity for high-achieving scholars to get outside the classroom and see, through hands-on interactive learning, how to innovate and think cre- atively,” said Andrew Potter, the chief academic officer for Envision. “These stu- dents, who have already proven themselves academ- ically, will be challenged to work on real-world, stu- dent-created projects to bring their studies and ca- reer interests to life.” Another John Gray stu- dent, Mark Plowright, who is head boy at the school, attended an earlier ses- sion this summer. According to organizers, since 1985, Envision pro- grams have served more than 800,000 students in more than 145 countries, with programs designed to help students develop their leadership, scholarship and career skills. 50 YEARS AGO: ‘Avoid mudslinging,’ Cumber pleads In the July. 11, 1968 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor to the Cayman Compass, the fol- lowing story about out- going Administrator John Cumber appeared: “His Honour, the Admin- istrator, has been pleading to the island’s politicians to avoid mudslinging and to ‘rule out personal dislikes for opponents in public,’ during the forthcoming Gen- eral Elections. “Mr. Cumber made the plea repeatedly when he was replying to the after-dinner presentation at the fare- well function organised by the Cayman Islands branch of the Commonwealth Par- liamentary Association, at La Fontaine hotel last Thursday night. “At the function, the Cum- bers were presented with an address by the Chairman of the Executive Com- mittee of the Cayman Is- lands branch, Mr. Spurgeon Ebanks. The Secretary of the branch and Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Mrs. Sybil McLaughlin on behalf of the branch presented a ‘Padua’ style Royal Worcester Dinner Service Set for six to Mrs. Cumber. “Replying, His Honour said that he was ‘over- whelmed by the gift’ which they will always cherish. At the start of his reply, Mr. Cumber commented on the ‘infinite charm’ of Mr. Ebanks’ speech and said he has spent the happiest and most interesting moments in his life in both houses of Cayman’s legislators. Mr. Cumber praised the cooperative spirit in both Houses and then said he would have hoped the As- sembly would never become a ‘rubber stamp.’ ‘Should that ever happen,’ the Ad- ministrator predicted, ‘de- mocracy would be dead in these islands.’” A story about floats touring the Brac as part of the Cayman Brac “Carnival Weekend” also appeared in the same edition. “The second day of Cayman Brac’s ‘Carnival Weekend’ got off the ground with a float parade on the afternoon of Saturday, June 29. Although there were not many exhibits, the quality more than compensated for the lack of quantity. “Three large floats car- ried the Brac’s ‘Beauties,’ some real and some claiming the title only for the day. Pri- vate car owners followed the floats in their flower-be- decked cars as the parade toured the island from the Secondary Modern School, East End, to Spot Bay and from there to West End. “Phase Three of the Cayman Brac All Island Fair swung into action on the Saturday evening with a fashion show in the Sec- ondary Modern School. The Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Ted Satchell, welcomed the large audience and then in- troduced some of the Brac’s older beauties. Much to the appreciation of the audience, these fair ‘damsels,’ ‘Misses’ Trevor Foster, George Arm- strong, Bently Brown, Durl Grant and Parker Tibbetts displayed their, in some cases, rather prominent charms. To the music of ‘The Beach Boys’ they showed how easily they become Cayman Brac’s an- swer to Miss Universe.” Ivan Farrington, dressed up as the ‘Devil,’ points to his home road Cockspur Way. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY A visit to Hell is a popular activity for visitors to Cayman.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS “No salsa tonight,” said the constable controlling traffic at the southern end of the barricade. At 10 p.m., a man and his three daughters left The Wharf and quickly walked toward the police barricade. “I’m just trying to keep my daughters safe,” the father said as his family packed into a taxi at the Esso gas station. Tuesday evening’s inci- dent at Captain’s Bakery was preceded by four other armed robberies since Thursday night, July 5. The first robbery oc- curred last Thursday night at the Al La Kebab food truck in Red Bay. Armed men took cash and an employee’s handbag at the location on Sel- kirk Drive before two shots were fired. A man was robbed along the northern end of West Bay Road early Saturday morning after being beaten and stabbed. Police said the victim’s backpack was stolen, but later recovered. Two armed robberies occurred Saturday night, one involving four suspects that hit the Al La Kebab eatery on Lawrence Bou- levard and another at the George Town bus terminal where a driver was held up. Firearms were used in four of the five robbery in- cidents. No arrests were reported in the cases be- tween Thursday and Saturday night. “We understand the fear and concern of the public after several robberies on the island,” Police Commis- sioner Derek Byrne said Wednesday, “We have inten- sified our anti-robbery uni- form and armed officer pa- trols since last Thursday. “These patrols were manifest last night, when a coordinated response of of- ficers resulted in a quick ar- rest and recovery of a gun.” Mr. Byrne said police were looking into the pos- sibility that some of the robberies could involve the same suspects. “Investigations are under way to determine if these incidents are linked, and our increased patrols will continue until we have apprehended others re- sponsible and removed the threats they pose to individuals and busi- nesses,” he said. Police Superintendent Brad Ebanks said local businesses should contact their community policing officers if they need fur- ther assistance. “Extra precautions should also be taken around the handling of cash,” Mr. Ebanks said. “Community officers are ready to meet with anyone interested in obtaining further robbery prevention advice.” tint is so dark that it would be considered unsafe to drive the car. The front windshield of a vehicle must allow “not less than 70 percent light trans- mission,” with the exception of a maximum 6-inch wide strip that can be placed at the top portion of the windshield, according to the regulations. The front side windows must allow a minimum of 35 percent light transmis- sion. The rear windshield and rear side windows can allow less than 35 percent light transmission, but only if fitted by the vehicle manufac- turer as standard equipment. In any case, tint on the rear windows of a vehicle must allow at least 15 percent light transmission. Drivers with medical conditions or other “spe- cial public interest” reasons, as defined by the depart- ment of vehicle licensing director, may be allowed to have darker tinted win- dows on the sides and rear of the vehicle. Speeding The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service has also quadrupled the number of speeding tickets its of- ficers have written during the first five months of this year when compared to the department’s ticketing output for 2017. Between January and May 2018, RCIPS officers wrote an average of 223 speeding citations per month, com- pared to last year when of- ficers wrote just 54 speeding tickets per month. The police service nearly doubled the number of speeding citations written by officers for all of 2017 in just the first five months of this year. Through May 31, the RCIPS issued 1,117 speeding citations. During all of 2017, the department wrote just 647 such tickets. The massive increase in speeding tickets comes at a time when Cayman has seen a significant number of fatal car accidents. Between Feb. 15 and May 30, a total of six people died in collisions on local roadways. Under the Cayman Islands Traffic Law, a driver can be sentenced to six months in prison and fined up to $2,500 for having illegally tinted windows. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman traffic police target illegal tint Victim pistol-whipped in robbery at Captain’s Bakery CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Boss of Puerto Rico power company abruptly resigns SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The CEO of Puerto Rico’s bankrupt power company resigned on Wednesday just months after he was chosen to oversee its privatization as the U.S. territory struggles to restore electricity to the last of those who remain in the dark nearly 10 months after Hurricane Maria. The resignation of Walter Higgins adds to chal- lenges for a company that is $9 billion in debt and has seen a turnover of leaders since the Category 4 storm hit Puerto Rico. Higgins was named CEO of Puerto Rico’s Elec- tric Power Authority in late March and was expected to help strengthen the power grid and supervise deals to privatize the generation of energy and award conces- sions for transmission and distribution. Gov. Ricardo Rossello said in a statement that Higgins resigned for personal rea- sons but did not provide de- tails. However, Higgins said in his resignation letter that the compensation details out- lined in his contract could not be fulfilled. His announce- ment comes a month after Puerto Rico’s justice secre- tary said it would be illegal for him to receive bonuses. A power company spokesman said Higgins will remain as a member of the power company’s board and that he resigned following a mutual agreement with the board that offers no financial compensation. “Under his direction, we were able to re-establish ser- vice to thousands of Puerto Ricans, for which we are very grateful,” said board presi- dent Ernest Sgroi. Higgins, who previously served as president and CEO of a company whose subsid- iary provided power to Ber- muda, did not respond to a message for comment. Higgins had replaced an interim director who was ap- pointed after CEO Ricardo Ramos stepped down in No- vember following an outcry over a $300 million contract awarded to a tiny company in Montana after Maria. Last month, government officials questioned why Hig- gins awarded a $315,000 contract to a consultant without authorization from certain government agen- cies. They demanded an ex- planation and later said they were satisfied with the re- sponse from the power com- pany’s board of directors, which noted it had hired the consultant instead of filling the position for an executive sub-director of administra- tion and finance. Puerto Ricans also have grumbled about Higgins’ $450,000 annual salary as the island struggles to emerge from an 11-year recession. However, power com- pany officials announced that the new CEO will earn $750,000 a year. Rafael Diaz Granados is currently a member of the power company’s board and will take over duties on July 15, the company said. He has previously served in positions for General Electric in Latin America and the Iberian Pen- insula, was executive director for GE in Mexico, and at- torney for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That salary also sparked an outcry. Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz called for the destitu- tion of board members who supported it. “That kind of insult to Puerto Ricans is unaccept- able,” he said. The island is facing new austerity measures amid an economic crisis as it tries to restructure a portion of its $70 billion public debt load. Juan Rosario, former con- sumer representative on the power company’s board, told The Associated Press that he was not surprised about Hig- gins’ resignation. TOP ECUADOR COURT UPHOLDS $9B RULING AGAINST CHEVRON QUITO, Ecuador (AP) – Ecua- dor’s highest court has up- held a $9.5 billion judg- ment against oil giant Chevron for decades of rain- forest damage. Plaintiffs celebrated the constitutional court’s de- cision announced Tuesday night, saying it should pave the way for indigenous tribes to receive compensa- tion for oil spills that con- taminated groundwater and soil in their Amazon home. “There’s no doubt now that we’ve won this long legal battle,” said Pablo Fa- jardo, the plaintiffs’ lawyer. But the ruling is largely symbolic as Chevron no longer operates in the South American country. That means Ecuador’s government will have to pursue assets owned by the San Ramon, California-based company in foreign courts, where it so far has had little luck. Chevron had long ar- gued that a 1998 agree- ment Texaco signed with Ecuador after a $40 mil- lion cleanup absolves it of liability. Chevron bought Texaco in 2001. Officers cordoned off the area around Captain’s Bakery shortly after an alleged armed robbery took place there Tuesday night. – PHOTO: KEN SILVA Walter Higgins, chief executive officer, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, center, addresses the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 8, 2018. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 12, 2018 Mudslide kills 9 in India’s remote northeast A mudslide triggered by monsoon rains demolished tin-roofed homes on a hillside in northeastern India, killing at least eight children and one woman while they were sleeping, a government official said Wednesday. From hospital beds, rescued Thai boys make victory signs MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) – The 12 boys rescued from deep within a flooded cave in northern Thailand made two-finger victory signs from their hospital beds on Wednesday in a moving video from the isolation ward where they are recuperating from their 18-day ordeal. The youngest, 11, appeared asleep under a crisp white sheet while others, including their 25-year-old soccer coach, sat in bed, their faces obscured by green surgical masks. Nurses chatted with them and the boys responded with the cus- tomary Thai sign of respect – hands pressed together while bowing the head. Parents watched and waved from behind a glass barrier, their faces vivid with emotion. “Don’t need to worry about their physical health and even more so for their mental health,” said Chai- wetch Thanapaisal, director of Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital. “Everyone is strong in mind and heart,” he said at a news conference of officials involved in the high-risk rescue effort. The four boys and soccer coach brought out Tuesday on the final day of an all-out, three-day push to save all of them had recov- ered more quickly than the boys rescued on Sunday and Monday, Chaiwetch said. Even so, all need to be moni- tored in the hospital for seven days and then rest at home for another 30 days, he said. Three have slight lung infections. Another video released on Face- book by Thailand’s Navy SEALs, who were central to the rescue, ap- parently shows one of the boys being carried through part of the muddy cave on a stretcher covered by an emergency thermal blanket. The group had entered the sprawling Tham Luang cave to go exploring after soccer prac- tice on June 23, but monsoon rains soon filled the tight passage- ways, blocking their escape. They were found by a pair of British divers nearly 10 days later, hud- dled on a small, dry shelf just above the water, smiling with relief but visibly skinny. The complex mission for inter- national and Thai divers to guide the boys and coach through the cave’s flooded and tight passage- ways riveted people worldwide. Highlighting the dangers, a former Thai navy SEAL volunteering to work on the rescue efforts died Friday while replenishing oxygen canisters that were placed along the escape route. Narongsak Osatanakorn, the offi- cial overseeing the rescue operation, said the boys should not be blamed for the near tragedy. He lauded the coopera- tion between Thai and interna- tional rescuers. “The situation went beyond just being a rescue mission and became a symbol of unity among mankind,” he said. “Everyone worked together without discrimi- nation of race or religion as the ul- timate goal was to save the youth football team.” Each of the boys, ages 11 to 16 and with no diving experience, was guided out by divers though rocky, muddy and water passages that in places were just a crawl space. The method was extremely risky, but dwindling oxygen levels in the cave and fears of more monsoon rains to come made a decision ur- gent. Relatively mild weather and a massive effort to pump out water created a window of opportunity. And the confidence of the diving team, and expertise specific to the cave, grew after its first successful mission Sunday. Thongchai Lertwilairatanapong, a public health inspector, said the boys lost an average of 4.4 pounds while they were trapped. Before their discovery, they survived by drinking water dripping into their cramped refuge. “To not receive food, we can still survive for many months, but what’s necessary is water, which the cave has, and around this time there’s a lot in the cave, and they chose clean water to drink,” he said. In this image made from video, released by the Thailand Government Spokesman Bureau, three of the 12 boys are seen recovering in their hospital beds after being rescued along with their coach from a flooded cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand. - PHOTO: AP Emotions high in US as Kavanaugh begins fight for confirmation WASHINGTON (AP) – Con- servative Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh plunged into his confirmation battle Tuesday, meeting face- to-face with Senate leaders in what promises to be an intense debate over abortion rights, presidential power and other legal disputes that could reshape the court and roil this fall’s elections. Kavanaugh is a favorite of the GOP legal establishment, and his arrival as President Donald Trump’s nominee was greeted on Capitol Hill with praise from Republicans and skepticism from Democrats. There were also pledges of open minds by key senators whose votes will most likely determine the outcome. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called Kavanagh “one of the most thoughtful jurists” in the country but warned of an on- slaught of “fear mongering” from liberal groups trying to derail the nomination. He said it was clear that many Democrats “didn’t care who the nominee was at all. Who- ever President Trump put up they were opposed to.” Chuck Schumer, the Sen- ate’s Democratic leader, said his party’s lawmakers did in- deed care who the nominee was – and what his views were on such thorny issues as abortion and Trump himself. Trump “did exactly what he said he would do on the campaign trail – nominate someone who will overturn women’s reproductive rights,” the New York senator said. He also argued that the president chose the man he thought would best protect him from the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian inter- ference in the 2016 election. Kavanaugh has written about a need to free the executive branch from intrusive crim- inal investigations. “Not only did Mr. Kava- naugh say that a president should not be subpoenaed, he said a president shouldn’t be investigated,” Schumer said. The confirmation mara- thon is expected to drag on for months, and no date has yet been set for hearings. GOP leaders, with a slim ma- jority in the Senate, are anx- ious to have Kavanaugh in place for the start of the court’s session in October – and before the November congressional elections. But that may be a tall order. His confirmation is complicated by an unusu- ally long record as an appel- late judge and as a George W. Bush administration official – and also his role as part of the Kenneth Starr investiga- tion of President Bill Clinton. Kavanaugh, just 53, could serve on the high court for decades. As he arrived on Capitol Hill Tuesday, he huddled with McConnell, Vice President Mike Pence and former Sen. Jon Kyl. He also met with Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which will deter- mine whether to recommend him to the full Senate. McConnell, who has been influential in shaping Trump’s remaking of the judi- ciary, said, “What we’d like to see is a few open minds about this extraordinary talent.” Grassley said a speedy confirmation was not neces- sarily the goal. The vetting process, he said, is “going to be thorough and going to be done right.” Pence told re- porters that Kavanaugh was a “good man.” Republicans have little margin of error for the final vote unless a few Democrats can be brought onboard. Mc- Connell has a 51-49 Senate majority, narrowed further by the absence of ailing Sen. John McCain of Arizona. But they hope to gain support from a handful of Democrats who are up for re-election in states where Trump is popular. So far, Democrats are uniting behind a strategy to turn the confirmation fight into a referendum on con- servatives’ efforts to undo abortion access, chip away at healthcare protections under the Affordable Care Act and protect Trump from Mueller. Senators will be seeking access to Kavanaugh’s writ- ings and correspondence, reams of documents that will take weeks to compile and even longer to review, giving opponents ample opportu- nity to wage a political battle. Protesters have filled the steps of the Supreme Court in recent days. By fall, the nomination may turn on a handful of senators who will be under enormous pressure ahead of the midterm elections. The Democrats are trying to pressure two Republi- cans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, to oppose any nominee who threatens the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The two have sup- ported access to abortion ser- vices, and activists have al- ready begun sending wire coat hangers, as a symbol of an era when abortion was il- legal, to Collins’ office. She said that with Kava- naugh’s credentials, “it’s very difficult for anyone to tell me that he’s not qualified for the job.” But she added that other issues also would come into play for her, including “judi- cial temperament” and “judi- cial philosophy.” His confirmation is complicated by an unusually long record as an appellate judge and as a George W. Bush administration official – and also his role as part of the Kenneth Starr investigation of President Bill Clinton.Next >