High of 92 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 YOU DECIDE: ‘OFREG’ OR ‘RIPOFF REG’? WORLD | PAGE 7 THAI SOCCER BOYS RECOUNT SUCCESSFUL RESCUE EFFORT ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 Road User Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp 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 Enjoy comprehensive cover with free roadside assistance, $200 deductible, zero windscreen deductible and many other free benefits! Ask for a quote! Police and roads authority work to make streets safer 670,000th tire shredded at landfill MILLER: GOVERNMENT ‘MAKING EXCUSES’ ON SCHOOL PLAYFIELD The Lands and Survey Department is get- ting a better feel for the local underwater to- pography of the region thanks to a seabed mapping program undertaken by the U.K. Hydrographic Office. Members of the Hydrographic Office are in Cayman Islands to explain their findings. For more on this story, see page 3. GOVERNMENT ACCESSES UNDERWATER MAP PROGRAM An award-winning member of the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service is working overtime. Auxiliary Constable Fabian O’Connor, who won the Diver- sity Award at this year’s Police Service Awards, has entered into a partnership with the Na- tional Roads Authority to im- prove the traffic signs and road markings on the waterfront and in central George Town. Mr. O’Connor, known as the “Dancing Policeman” for the en- ergetic way he ushers pedes- trians and traffic on Harbour Drive at the waterfront, has worked with the NRA’s super- visor of Signs and Lines, Delroy Myles, to paint direction signs, chevrons, double yellow lines and brightened stop marks in downtown George Town. The pair secured permis- sion from the Traffic Manage- ment Panel to make those im- provements, and they were able to complete the task of brightening the signs and lines over two Sundays. “AC O’Connor’s collaboration with NRA is a great example of how a beat officer has a view from the ground of what needs to be done, and can work with BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The last in a pile of 670,000 tires that once towered over the George Town landfill was tossed into the shredder Wednesday by Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour. “We have eliminated an unsightly, par- ticularly dangerous waste product,” Mr. Sey- mour said. “Rather than just disposing of this product, we were able to use it again.” Nearly 6,700 metric tons (14.8 million pounds) of shredded tires have been pro- duced since March 2017, when govern- ment contracted a private company to shred the tires and sell them for what’s known as Tire-Derived Aggregate – fill – to various developers. Jim Schubert, the senior project man- ager for the government’s solid waste management system, said about 5,000 metric tons of shredded tires have al- ready been sold to Davenport Develop- ment to fill the site of a condominium the company built in South Sound. The remaining 1,700 tons are expected to be sold to the Dart Enterprises Construction Company, or DECCO, as part of the Inte- grated Solid Waste Management Project, BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s opposition leader blasted the civil service Tuesday for “making up excuses” on a pro- posal to put artificial turf down on a section of field outside the North Side primary school – a project MLA Ezzard Miller said school parents and his constituent office have been working on for four years. Mr. Miller said one district resident paid $20,000 from his personal funds to purchase arti- ficial turf from Chicago and ship it down to Grand Cayman for use on the playfield. The turf has been sitting at the port, collecting storage fees since. The opposition leader said the idea was to have the turf in place by the start of the next school year in September, so the Edna Moyle Primary School kids do not have to go out and play on a field covered in rocks and “donkey weed.” “The unacceptable conditions at the playing field have caused great concern among parents about injuries suffered by children playing on the field on a daily basis,” he said. Mr. Miller believes the difficulties his constitu- ents are experiencing on this issue are a micro- cosm of larger problems within Cayman’s public sector today. “Nobody, including the deputy governor, will take responsibility to get something done,” Mr. Miller said Tuesday during a meeting with mem- bers of the local press in his George Town office. “Everybody seems to be comfortable … making up excuses why we can’t do something. “That’s not what built Cayman.” The government Ministry of Education took a different view Wednesday when asked about Mr. Miller’s comments. The plan to put turf on what is now a rocky, flood-prone field is not funded within the current 2018-2019 budget cycle, and would re- quire some extensive remediation works on site. Minister Roy McTaggart tries his hand at feeding the tire shredder Wednesday at the George Town landfill. – PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY JULY 19, 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) HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 (PG) 12:20 3D I 2:40 I 5:00 3D I 7:20 ESCAPE PLAN 2 (R) 12:40 I 3:00 I 5:20 I 10:05 ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (PG13) 1:30 3D I 3:50 VIP I 7:00 I 9:20 VIP I 9:40 THE FIRST PURGE (R) 4:20 I 9:30 SKYSCRAPER (PG13) 1:20 VIP I 4:25 I 6:45 VIP I 7:40 3D 9:50 3D INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 1:20 I 6:40 JURASSIC WORLD: THE FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 I 6:50 I 9:40 7 vehicle break-ins reported in single day Police responded to seven reports of cars being broken into in West Bay Tuesday. Property was stolen in only one instance, police said. The first report of a ve- hicle break-in was made shortly after 7:20 a.m., at a residence on Courtyard Drive. One of the front win- dows was broken and sev- eral pieces of equipment and tools were stolen. Another report was also received about the same time, on West Church Street, where one of the front win- dows of a car was smashed and the vehicle was ran- sacked. Police said it did not appear anything was stolen from the vehicle. Later that day, just after 2:30 p.m., several vehicles at an apartment complex on Scholars Drive were also broken into. When officers arrived, they discovered that five ve- hicles, belonging to owners from various units at the complex, had been broken into. The majority of the ve- hicles had the front window broken and were ransacked. Nothing was taken from the vehicles. Last month, there were 23 reports of vehicle break- ins, and in 13 of these cases, windows were smashed. So far this year, there have been nearly 100 reports. Police are reminding the public not to leave valuables in their vehicles, including phones, purses, cash, other electronics and bags. “If you cannot avoid leaving things in your car, ensure that they are tucked away and not vis- ible to onlookers,” police said in a press release. Police are also advising motorists not to leave spare keys or keys to their resi- dences in their vehicles. When parking a vehicle during the day, choose a place where it is easy to see from the roadways or resi- dence, and at night, places that are well lit and visible. If possible, purchase anti-theft devices such as car alarms and anti-breakage film for windows and windscreens, police advised. “If you are a victim of a vehicle break in, please in- form the police as soon as you have been made aware. This will assist us in re- cording the times of days that the incidents are taking place and the areas that are being targeted by crim- inals, for increased patrols and other related opera- tions,” police said. NEWS IN BRIEF Dog shot in West Bay Police are investigating the shooting of a dog in its owner’s yard on Powell Smith Road in West Bay. Officers received a report of the dead dog on Tuesday. “The dog’s owner had discovered the dog’s body near a tree in the yard in the afternoon; the dog, which was long-haired and brown, had died of an apparent gunshot wound,” the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice said in a statement. Police are asking that anyone who may have heard a gunshot in the area or may have any other infor- mation to contact West Bay CID at 949-3999 or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477. Two arrested at airport Two people were ar- rested on suspicion of pos- sessing ganja at the Owen Roberts International Air- port on Monday. According to Customs, a 25-year-old Caymanian man was intercepted at the airport security check- point as he was departing on a Cayman Airways flight to Cayman Brac. When of- ficers conducted a body search, they found two packages containing ganja taped to his leg. Following his arrest, of- ficers arrested a 22-year-old Caymanian woman on sus- picion of being concerned in the possession of ganja. The two were released on bail. Police car damaged during turtle investigation A police vehicle was rear-ended Tuesday by a car officers said they were attempting to stop while responding to a re- port of a turtle being taken from the water. Officers from the RCIPS were in the area of Barkers just before 6 a.m. Tuesday morning when they re- ceived a call relating to a turtle in distress along the shore in West Bay. The officers signaled to a white Honda to stop, but the driver did not stop and struck the left rear of the police vehicle while making its escape. No turtle was recovered in the incident. The police investiga- tion is ongoing, and the RCIPS is seeking informa- tion from members of the public who may have seen or heard about a turtle being taken from the water on Tuesday morning. Anybody with infor- mation can submit tips at www.rcips.ky/submit-a-tip. Section of Crewe Road closes over 3 days The National Roads Au- thority will close the west- bound lane of Crewe Road at the Silver Oaks Round- about from Wednesday to Friday, July 18-20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help facili- tate ongoing roadwork. Motorists, except local traffic, are ad- vised to use the Linford Pierson Highway during these times. Traffic signs will be posted in the vicinity of the work areas. The NRA is urging mo- torists to drive with caution and obey all instructions from staff on the ground. Last month, there were 23 reports of vehicle break-ins, and in 13 of these cases, windows were smashed. So far this year, there have been nearly 100 reports. Man pleads guilty to motorcyclist’s death CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man charged with causing the death of motor- cyclist Denvil Roy Mitchell in 2016 pleaded guilty in Grand Court on Monday. Warren Samuel Hogarth, now 56, pleaded guilty to driving a Kia Sportage dan- gerously on Shamrock Road and causing Mr. Mitchell’s death by doing so. A second charge of causing death by driving under the influence of alcohol is expected to be dealt with when the defendant is sen- tenced on Sept. 21. Mr. Hogarth’s reported blood/alcohol reading was .189. The legal limit in Cayman is .100. The incident occurred in the vicinity of Countryside Shopping Village on a Sunday night, around 8 p.m. Mr. Mitchell, 40, had been employed with the National Roads Authority. Justice Francis Belle or- dered a pre-sentence social inquiry report. He did not hear any details of the of- fense because such a pre- sentation is made to the judge who will hand down the sentence, and that court assignment has not yet been made. Mr. Hogarth was rep- resented by attorney Amelia Fosuhene. Warren Samuel Hogarth, now 56, pleaded guilty to driving a Kia Sportage dangerously on Shamrock Road and causing Mr. Mitchell’s death by doing so. PUERTO RICO POWER COMPANY SEES 3RD CEO IN 2 WEEKS SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Puerto Rico’s governor named a new CEO on Wednesday to lead the U.S. territory’s power company, which has now seen three top executives in two weeks as it struggles with a lack of leadership, bankruptcy and the resto- ration of electricity to hun- dreds who remain in the dark since Hurricane Maria. Electrical engineer Jose Ortiz, who once served as executive director of the is- land’s water and sewer com- pany, takes over the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority on July 23. He replaces a CEO who lasted only one day in the position and took over from another CEO who announced his resignation last week after nearly four months on the job. Ortiz once served as presi- dent of the power company’s board, which saw five mem- bers resign last week fol- lowing an outcry over the $750,000 annual salary that a previous CEO would have earned amid an 11-year re- cession. Ortiz will be making $250,000 annually and will receive no bonuses. Ortiz said his priority is to rebuild Puerto Rico’s cred- ibility to help attract for- eign investment and reach a deal with creditors to re- solve the agency’s $9 bil- lion public debt. “One of the first things we have to do is pull the com- pany out of bankruptcy,” he said. He also said he will review multimillion-dollar federal contracts awarded to U.S. com- panies who are helping restore and rebuild the island’s elec- trical grid after the Category 4 storm destroyed up to 75 per- cent of transmission lines. Ortiz promised that Puerto Ricans will see “sub- stantial change” early next year at the power company and in their bills as the gov- ernment prepares to privatize the generation of energy and award concessions for trans- mission and distribution. “We cannot keep planning much further,” he said. “We all know what needs to be done.” Gov. Ricardo Rossello is among those who have been blamed for the ongoing tur- moil at the power company. A day after the previous CEO was appointed last week, he issued a statement saying that the $750,000 salary was not appropriate given the is- land’s economic crisis and said that any board member who disagreed should step down. Five of them did, in- cluding the CEO who was previously part of the board. Rossello defended his ac- tions, saying energy “is the linchpin of our society.” “The transformation of the electrical system is crit- ical to Puerto Rico’s develop- ment,” he said. In this Oct. 19, 2017 file photo, a brigade from the Electric Power Authority repairs distribution lines damaged by Hurricane Maria in the Cantera community of San Juan, Puerto Rico. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 Government accesses UK’s underwater mapping program The Lands and Survey De- partment is getting a better feel for the local underwater topography of the region thanks to a seabed mapping program undertaken by the U.K. Hydrographic Office. Members of the Hydro- graphic Office are currently in the Cayman Islands to de- liver the results and explain their findings, and the pro- gram is expected to improve the safety of navigating in Cayman waters, according to a Lands and Survey Depart- ment press release. The program will also en- able the Cayman Islands to fulfill its international mar- itime obligations under the Safety of Life at Sea Conven- tion. The Hydrographic Of- fice seeks to improve mar- itime charts across the British Overseas Territo- ries, and those efforts have been funded through the U.K.’s Conflict Stability and Security Fund. The mapping project aims to collect and circu- late nautical information to interested parties via the Maritime Safety Informa- tion System, and it hopes to identify and prioritize fu- ture areas to be surveyed. Fi- nally, it seeks to publish new charts with data from the areas still to be surveyed. The Hydrographic Office surveyed the waters west and south of Grand Cayman in 2017, and also conducted field work on the south- western tip of Cayman Brac. The data from those sur- veys was released to the Lands and Survey Depart- ment at a workshop at the Government Administration Building on Tuesday. “The reason for carrying out these surveys was the fact that the data on the current charts is old and does not meet modern stan- dards for safety of navi- gation,” said Chris Thorne, the head of partnering and engagement at the Hydro- graphic Office for the Ca- ribbean region. “The new surveys using modern equipment ensures that we fully capture all of the features on the seabed and identify any dangers, as well as allowing other sci- entists to carry out research based on the information and to allow governments to use this data for planning for the future.” Abraaj attempting to restructure, but could be liquidated KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The fate of the Cayman- registered Abraaj Holdings could be decided on Aug. 17, when a determination is scheduled over whether the troubled company will be liquidated and wound up, or will continue un- dergoing court-supervised restructuring. Abraaj Holdings is a major part of the Abraaj Group, which was once the largest private equity firm in the Middle East. How- ever, the firm allegedly owes creditors some US$1 billion and has been accused of misusing hundreds of mil- lions of dollars, including funds from the Bill & Me- linda Gates Foundation and the World Bank’s Interna- tional Finance Corporation. In May, Kuwait’s Public Institution for Social Secu- rity filed a petition to wind up Abraaj Holdings and liquidate its assets after Abraaj allegedly defaulted on a US$100 million loan. Abraaj Holdings also filed an application, this one to have provisional liquidators appointed over it, which the firm said would allow it to restructure its debt, pro- tect the rights of all stake- holders, and continue its day-to-day operations with minimum impact. The Grand Court granted Abraaj Holdings’ application for provisional liquidators. However, it was said at a Grand Court hearing on Wednesday that Abraaj’s attempts to sell as- sets and restructure have not been as successful as hoped, which led to a re- newed effort to liquidate and wind up Abraaj. “Since March, attempts have been made to sell var- ious assets from the Abraaj Group and to restructure. One the 18th of June, when orders were made [to ap- point provisional liquida- tors of Abraaj], they were made on the basis that the company intends to make a compromise with cred- itors,” said Charles Fal- coner QC, an attorney for one of Abraaj’s creditors. “Now, their position is that ‘we don’t know whether it’s going to be possible for a compromise to be made.’” At the end of the hearing, Grand Court Jus- tice Robin McMillan sched- uled another hearing to take place on Aug. 17. At that hearing, it will be de- termined whether Abraaj will continue to remain under provisional liquida- tors – allowing it to restruc- ture – or whether it will be liquidated and wound up. Between now and then, the provisional liquida- tors will submit a report to the Grand Court and to the creditors about the ef- forts to sell Abraaj’s assets and about the likelihood of reaching a compro- mise or arrangement be- tween Abraaj and its credi- tors. Much of this depends on whether the provisional liquidators can sell Abraaj’s asset-management plat- form, according to an at- torney involved in the case. At Wednesday’s hearing, representatives for the creditors agreed to give the joint liquidators more time to sell Abraaj’s as- sets and prevent the com- pany from collapsing. However, the parties spent more than two hours wran- gling over how much time should be given. Attorneys for the joint liquidators suggested that the hearing reconvene on Sept. 3, but Mr. Falconer strongly objected to this on the grounds that more de- lays could cost millions of dollars in fees to liquida- tors and attorneys. The fees for one of the provisional liquidators, Deloitte, have already amassed to around $2 million, he said. This, he argued, could affect the creditors’ ability to recover their investments. Mr. Falconer pushed for a hearing to take place as early as Aug. 10, and Jus- tice McMillan compromised between the parties, setting a hearing for Aug. 17. More than 30 law- yers were present during Wednesday’s hearing. 50 YEARS AGO: John A. Cumber school opens in West Bay In the July 18, 1968 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the following story, ti- tled “West Bay School Opens,” appeared: “The official opening of the new school at West Bay took place last week Thursday. It has been named ‘John A. Cumber Pri- mary School’ after the Ad- ministrator of the Cayman Islands (1964-68). “Mr. Cumber himself performed the opening cer- emony. He said that it was a great honour to have the school named after him. It was a great compliment which he appreciated. “The Administrator spoke of the part played by members of the Legislative Assembly and the Director of Education in building the new school, and he singled out Mr. T.W. Far- rington, a representative of the Board of Education, for special comment. “His Honour said that the building was erected with Colonial Development and Welfare funds and was a gift from Britain. Two more such schools will be built this year. “Mr. Cumber saw a great future for education for the young, and wished that the pupils who will study in the schools will work hard and play hard. “The Director of Educa- tion Mr. V.L. Jackson said he was very pleased to see that the school was al- most completed and that it was possible to have an official opening before His Honour and Mrs. Cumber left the island. “He said the new pri- mary school for West Bay had been a long-felt need. It was included in an educa- tion plan drawn up by the former Education Officer Mr. C.A. Hunter. “Several years ago a block was built to house the younger chil- dren. Lack of funds im- peded the construction of other classrooms.” The Head of Partnering and Engagement for the Caribbean region at the U.K. Hydrographic Office, Chris Thorne, third from left, leads a workshop on the latest data released by his office. MANDATORY HEALTH SCREENINGS UNDER WAY All students entering school for the first time, either government or private, must have health screenings before the new school year begins in August, the Public Health De- partment advises. The department is con- tinuing to provide health screenings at John Gray High School from now until Aug. 17. From Aug. 20 to Aug. 31, screenings will be available at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Completed forms from private physicians should be submitted to the Public Health Department, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For school entry screen- ings in Cayman Brac, call the public health nurse at Faith Hospital on 948-2243. For additional information, call 326-4890, 326-3882 or 925-5401.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 “Join the Navy and See the World!” – U.S. Navy recruiting poster OfReg, despite its unclear pronunciation and cryptic branding (it’s pronounced “OFFReg” and is derived from the semantic marriage of “Office” and “Regulation”), is nonetheless becoming a household word – and not a good one. In recent days, the Compass has been examining the expenditures of this relatively new agency, an assemblage of Cayman’s former regulators, now combined into one “super-regulator.” Uh-oh … In addition to a $1.5 million shortfall last year, spending $1 million on “consultants,” employing the equivalent of 22 full-time people at an approximate cost of $100,000 each, we have been focusing on the hundreds of thou- sands of dollars in travel expenses these regulators have expended so far since the agency’s inception in 2017. In Tuesday’s newspaper, we published a breakdown of the travel expenses, which the Compass obtained through a Freedom of Information request. To increase your blood pressure, we’ll reprint two comments we received (and published on our online website, www.caymancompass.com) from frequent corre- spondents. They speak, we believe, if not for all, certainly for many, and probably for most of us in Cayman who are actually picking up the tab for OfReg’s globetrotting: “This list is mind boggling, 39 trips in 12 months! Was anyone left in the office to answer the telephone? Mr. Fa’amoe [OfReg Deputy CEO Alee Fa’amoe] states that almost half the trips were for training and education of staff ‘and we make no apologies for that.’ Can he then explain why staff with the necessary qualifications and experience were not employed in the first place given that AVERAGE salaries of $100,000 were paid to staff.” – Roger Davies “I find this repulsive. Perhaps this list is even grander than reported. I say some of the trips and expenditures have gone unreported. Cayman, wake up. You’ve been had. They need training all right. Let these OfReg folks take it online. They will have to settle for online courses. Mr. Fa’amoe stated “This isn’t gallivanting across the world.” What do you call travel to every corner of the globe? Cayman, going forward, you better wake up. This isn’t the only agency here who makes it their living to take advantage of the folks and their hard-earned dollars. Forensic auditors need to be installed in every agency. Do not stand for this for one more day. Stop these people, and reorganize this agency.” – Lukishi Brown Also in recent days, the Compass has published a further story that OfReg plans to increase its fees to those it regulates to pay for, in part, its runaway spending. That “news” ran in close proximity to other stories announcing price increases in our water bills (from the Cayman Islands Water Authority) and our electricity bills (from the Caribbean Utilities Co.), both, by the way, overseen by OfReg. Cayman, which is known internationally as a “rich” jurisdiction, is home to far too many people who are anything but rich. The cost of living here is high by any standard, and the cost of supporting our ever-expanding government is exorbitant. We can only imagine what goes through the minds of our readers who are struggling just to “get by” financially from day to day and then read stories about OfReg’s CEO and bureaucrats in the past year taking trips to Copen- hagen, London, Jamaica, Washington, D.C., Miami, Texas, Puerto Rico, Dubai, Singapore, Brussels, Abu Dhabi, Trinidad and Tobago, Budapest, Las Vegas, Nassau, Bar- celona, Gibraltar, Oxford and Mexico. Nice work if you can get it. – EDITORIAL – You decide: ‘OfReg’ or ‘RipOff Reg’? 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. 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” THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS CITA: Tourist accommodations regulations necessary, positive Statement from the Cayman Islands Tourism Association It is always heartening whenever the local media re- ports in a positive light on the Cayman Islands tourism industry particularly when Caymanians are encouraged to be a part of it. However, the Cayman Compass edito- rial on Friday, July 13, 2018, “Getting Government out of the Bedroom Business,” is a not a fair and thorough rep- resentation of the tourism ac- commodation licensing pro- cess or purpose nor is their “confiscatory” perspective on the 13% Room Accommoda- tion Tax. Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association would like to correct the mis- representations and further inform the interested public. The Licensing Purpose: The notion behind a tourist accommodation li- cense is to ensure the safety and a minimal standard of quality for all commercial accommodation provided to visitors in the Cayman Is- lands regardless of how or where the business is trans- acted. The licensing of all tourism accommodation properties – whether hotel, condo, apartment, villa or bed & breakfast room in a house – is prescribed by the Tourism Law (Revision 1995), Tourism Tax Law (Revision 2013) and Tourism Regula- tions (Revision 2002). While the law is certainly due for a revision, it would seem that the regulation of our tourism accommodations has served the industry and the country well considering the strong reputation of the Cayman Is- lands tourism experience of which accommodation is a significant component. The current government regula- tions with a license being required of all tourism ac- commodations, is that it does not encourage nor dis- courage any particular type of accommodation; it’s appli- cable to and fair for all. The Licensing Process: While not what anyone would consider a pleasure per se, the licensing process is by no means unpleasant or unreasonable. The inspection involves three different enti- ties – the Fire Department, Department of Environ- mental Health and Depart- ment of Tourism – because of the expertise involved and particularly for the safety and the well-being of people are involved. Besides the commonly known fire safety standards and the lessor known considerations for en- vironmental safety such as pest control, water and waste management, pool safety and even, mosquito control mea- sures, inspectors also ad- dress procedures and prac- tices such as greeting and informing guest on safety and services, including the presence of a brochure rack displaying local tour oper- ator brochures and a cleared public access to the beach and sea, two aspects of tourism which are also im- portant to Caymanians. Licensing also results in a central registry and provides for the transfer of education and information vital to re- sponsibly caring for our visi- tors. Besides what some may consider to be mundane is- sues that may arise during a visitor’s stay, the manager or operator of the accom- modation property is also the point of contact for in- forming and coordinating the evacuation and/or safety of visitors in times of a nat- ural disaster, such as a hur- ricane. Pause for a moment – perhaps flashback to Hur- ricane Ivan or a TV newscast of any catastrophe – and now think again about your prop- erty as a tourist accommo- dation; it’s not just about the money. So, yes, there is a pen- alty fee for operating an unli- censed property, as well there should be, given the respon- sibility involved. Over the course of a de- cade and longer for some, the CITA Accommodation Direc- tors in managing the licensing inspection process for small, medium and large proper- ties across Grand Cayman, have never felt that the pro- cess was arduous or unnec- essary. It can be frustrating at times when dealing with De- partment of Environmental Health on garbage collec- tion matters – but who has not experienced that? If one is properly informed (and all the information is available online), prepared and orga- nized, the inspection by all three Government Inspectors can be coordinated to be done at the same time and com- pleted within hours. If there is a problem, delay or a matter requiring re-inspection, the small but dedicated teams are very cooperative and all one need do is to communicate accordingly. However, an in- spection pass is not issued lightly nor should it be given that people’s safety and lives are at stake. The Tax: We are all well aware that the Cayman Islands is free of any income tax but let’s keep in mind that there is but one only, one-time tax related to real estate prop- erty which is the Stamp Duty at the time of purchase and registration. Unlike most de- veloped nations, there is no annual property tax nor is there a capital gain tax at the time of sale. In an era when the community at large as well as industry, the tourism industry being no excep- tion, continues to demand more and, yes, as always, better services of Govern- ment, is it really unreason- able that a tax be levied for a sector that requires the high level of service and sup- port as does tourism? Now, if you really want to be con- structive, you could sug- gest that a fixed percentage of that tax be restricted to specific tourism-related ser- vices such as product devel- opment and management, which incidentally would en- tail regulation but perhaps it would also provide for greater enforcement. As is the norm worldwide, tax is passed on to the con- sumer, in this case, the guest renting the room or prop- erty. While the accommo- dation property owner/op- erator collects the tax from the guest and is respon- sible for submitting payment monthly to Government, the tax does not lessen the prop- erty owner/operator’s rental earnings. It should be noted that the Cayman Islands continues to maintain one of the highest average daily accommodate rate among the Caribbean, even with a 13 percent tax which, we re- iterate, is paid by the guest and not the property owner/ operator. With the tax being a percentage of the nightly accommodation rate means that it does not encourage nor discourage any partic- ular type or rank of accom- modate; it’s applicable to and fair for all. Supporting Tourism Entrepreneurship: The Cayman Islands De- partment of Tourism, with the Ministry’s support, has PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 Police and roads authority work to make streets safer Miller: Government ‘making excuses’ on school playfield 670,000th tire shredded at landfill other agencies to address it together,” said Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne. “I applaud his energy and his initiative, which is making a big difference at the George Town waterfront.” Mr. O’Connor walks the streets down by the water- front every day and has seen all manner of traffic infrac- tions, and he’s taken sug- gestions by taxi and bus drivers about how to make traffic safer. “An essential part of my job is to educate my cus- tomers and use my discre- tion,” said Mr. O’Connor in a press release. “So I explain to drivers who park within the 45 feet of a crosswalk or on the chevrons how they are blocking the sight of on- coming cars and the danger this creates for all people using our roads.” Over the course of his beat work outside the South Terminal, Mr. O’Connor has noticed drivers parking along both sides of the street, and he realized that many people just do not understand local regulations. Often, he had to put down traffic cones to prevent people from parking in pro- hibited spaces, but then he would have to move the cones in order to direct traffic more efficiently. So he contacted Mr. Myles, and they put their heads together on the best way to make things clear to visitors and residents alike. “He and I walked the streets,” said Mr. O’Connor, “To see how we could make further improvements – from painting double yellow lines on the roads to improving the crosswalks – so that drivers were better able to see pe- destrians as they crossed or knew where to park or even what direction to proceed. We in the Cayman Islands drive on the left, but we have visi- tors who operate on the right.” Now, Mr. O’Connor be- lieves the brightened lines and arrows leave less room for misinterpretation, which ultimately makes the streets safer for drivers and pe- destrians alike. Acting Governor Franz Manderson said in the press release he was thrilled with the cooperative effort be- tween the police and NRA. “A common goal for civil servants is to work together and engage the community,” said Mr. Manderson. “I am grateful for the thoughtful manner in which Mr. Myles and AC O’Connor joined forces and resources of their respective departments to make George Town safer for all road users.” Moreover, the ministry’s acting chief officer Cetonya Cacho indicated in a state- ment that there would be significant health concerns in using the artificial turf North Side residents have obtained, partly because the turf was designed for use indoors. “The company that de- veloped the material [has] indicated that it is not suit- able for outside use and that it will not drain properly, causing the water to settle,” Ms. Cacho’s statement read. “The ministry has also been advised that the mate- rial will become white and chalky, potentially leading to health and safety con- cerns for our students.” The ministry acknowl- edged there could be ways to keep the playfield from flooding, but if those did not work, the government would then face added costs or could even have to remove the turf after its installation. “A draft plan for field work at the Edna M. Moyle Primary School was devel- oped in consultation with public works,” the state- ment continued. “The min- istry team will review these plans and consider poten- tial options for the future, keeping in mind that this work is not included in the current budget.” Mr. Miller said, de- spite years’ worth of cor- respondence on the issue, the stated health concerns had not come up until re- cently. He also noted there had been no response, as of Tuesday, to requests he made asking whether North Side residents could fund the project themselves. The opposition leader also provided correspon- dence from the turf manu- facturer, Shaw Sports Turf, which indicated the issue with the turf turning white after it is exposed to the sun is “an aesthetic issue” that raised no “safety or performance concern.” However, company rep- resentatives did note that the cushion underneath the turf was not suggested for use outside “as it will not drain water through the system and will waterlog the cushion.” At the moment, with no indication of when, or even if, government might fund the project, and no answers on their ability to proceed without public funding, North Side parents are left in what’s become an all- too-familiar public sector delay, Mr. Miller said. Meanwhile, storage fees for the artificial turf at the port are mounting – expected to reach close to $30,000 by the end of this month – which is more than was initially paid for the turf. “This story about the As- troTurf is emblematic … of all other situations [in gov- ernment],” the MLA said. “This is the kind of incom- petence, ineptness, attitude that has us in so many co- nundrums today in so many of the various ministries. “My preferred choice would be to sit down today … with the ministry and the technical team and take a commonsense approach to solve these problems and get the field fixed for the children.” The Ministry of Educa- tion indicated Wednesday that it must ensure that all public schools receive nec- essary resources within an approved budget each year. “We look forward to con- tinue collaboration with all education stakeholders as we make improvements to all government schools,” the ministry statement read. which aims to close Cayman’s cur- rent landfill and open a waste-to- energy plant. The area previously occupied by the massive tire pile, which burst into flames on Dec. 20, 2013, sending black plumes of smoke around George Town for most of the day, will now be used for composting waste. The large tire-shredding ma- chine was brought in by Island Re- cycling company. Island Recycling’s managing director Jason Brown said the machine will be sent back to the U.S., now that the shredding project is complete. Mr. Schubert said there will still be tires coming into the George Town landfill site before the waste-to-en- ergy operation gets up and running. “We estimate they come in at the rate of about one tire per person per year,” he said. There will be a period of 18 months to two years when the tires will have to be stocked up again at the landfill. However, Mr. Schubert said it would take Cayman about 15 years for the tire waste to reach the same state it had got to by 2017. When the waste-to-energy plant gets going, the tires, along with other construction and develop- ment-related refuse, will be burned in the incinerator to create a new power source. Minister Seymour said that will be just one way Cay- man’s Integrated Solid Waste Man- agement System will seek to re- duce the amount of trash now piled up at the dump. The new system will include the waste-to-energy plant, recy- cling and composting centers and a smaller landfill. The current mas- sive landfill in George Town will be capped and covered with grass. The plan also calls for landfills in the Sister Islands to be closed and for the trash to be shipped to Grand Cayman. “There will be a process for managing solid waste that works much differently from what obtains today,” Mr. Seymour said. Negotiations on the waste man- agement project between govern- ment and a private consortium have not been completed. The consortium, led by Dart En- terprises, is in line to take over re- sponsibility for waste manage- ment in the Cayman Islands in a 25-year deal. Department of Environmental Health Acting Director Richard Simms tosses a couple tires on the shredder Wednesday. – PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FLETCHER Delroy Myles of the NRA, left, and Auxiliary Constable Fabian O’Connor teamed up to make the streets of George Town a little safer. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 been actively supporting the development and mar- keting of accommodation beyond hotels, as well as small businesses and entre- preneurs. There are many initiatives but most spe- cific to accommodation, the CIDoT has been sponsoring strategic business alli- ances, as well as free educa- tional events for the Cayman public – there was TripAd- visor in 2016, Expedia Va- cation Rentals in 2017 and now Airbnb this year. While many municipalities around the world struggles with as- pects of the likes of Airbnb (with some having banned the trade), the CIDoT had the foresight and forti- tude to negotiate a Memo- randum of Understanding with Airbnb in order to fa- cilitate such business devel- opment within the Cayman Islands regulatory structure; thus, protecting our stan- dards, fair practice and ulti- mately, the Cayman Islands reputation. The CIDoT lead- ership on this as well as their public educational ef- forts should be commended. As far as government catching up to technology, most governments around the world struggle with that so Cayman is no exception. But each year we see various arms of the Cayman Islands Government rolling out more and more e-services and so we dare say and hope that the electronic remittance of the accommodation tax will soon be transactional on- line as well. Similarly, legis- lation also lags behind the pace of technology and, in Cayman’s case, particularly with the growth of tourism, laws such as the Traffic Law (2011) as it relates to Public Transportation, which gov- erns taxis, is due a revision; after all, even giants like Uber and Facebook have not been unscathed by regula- tion and many governments’ legislative catch up to game- changing technology and trends in the marketplace. Lastly, anyone that at- tended the Tourism Com- munity Meetings held ear- lier this year in March at each and every district throughout the Islands should know that the work of the Cayman Islands De- partment of Tourism extends far beyond the marketing of the destination. As all at- tending witnessed, there has been much research and de- liberation undertaken to identify the strengths, weak- nesses, threats and opportu- nities within the Cayman Is- lands tourism product and experience and even more became evident as a re- sult of those meetings. We think all agree that there is much work to be done to en- hance and to protect Cay- man’s tourism. Certainly the expansion of the benefits of tourism beyond Seven Mile Beach and further amidst, for and by Caymanians and into all districts of the Cayman Islands, is not the least of priorities and, we, as do many, look forward to the final presentation of The Na- tional Tourism Plan. We trust that all con- cerned, the media included, will do their part to review the National Tourism Plan and ultimately support it in the interest of tourism and our treasured way of life in the Cayman Islands. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 CITA: Tourist accommodations regulations necessary, positiveThe 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 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, JULY 19 ROAD WORK: Road work continues today and tomorrow on Crewe Road between Navis Close and Silver Oaks Roundabout, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All motorists, except local traffic, should plan accordingly and use the Linford Pierson Highway during these times. PUB QUIZ: At Fidel’s, from 7 p.m. Organized by Humane Society. Contact sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. FRIDAY, JULY 20 SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Camana Bay joins landmarks around the world by turning red as part of the Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Celebration. The act represents the dawn of the Inclusion Revolution – Special Olympics’ mission to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities worldwide and create inclusive communities. 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. SATURDAY, JULY 28 BRAC COMMUNITY THEATRE: Stage show, starring Quincy & Friends In Concert. Aston Rutty Civic Centre, 7:30 p.m. Fundraiser to bring USA Motivational Speaker Rich Barnes to the Brac in Sept. For more info call 924-8446. BRAC FISHING TOURNAMENT: Organized by Spot Bay Committee. Registration fee is $50 per boat, two persons. Tournament time, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration forms to be submitted by Thursday, July 27, 6 p.m. to any committee member or at the Spot Bay Park 5-6:30 p.m. BOAT SHOW: Harbour House Marina hosts its annual boat show, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All are invited. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in West Bay 6-10 a.m. at the Lord’s Church compound, junction of the West Bay Town Hall. Items available include ladies’ bags and accessories, kitchen items, linens, adult and children’s clothing and shoes. TUESDAY, JULY 31 NON-PROFITS: Today is the deadline to register charitable organizations under The Non-Profit Organisations Law. Registry staff will help persons to complete registration documents every Tuesday and Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at General Registry’s offices on the ground floor of the Government Administration Building. The sessions are on an appointment basis. They will allow face-to-face assistance with completing and submitting registration applications. To book a day and time for the sessions, email paul.inniss@gov.ky or cigenreg@gov.ky. 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. SUNDAY, AUGUST 5 ADULT OPEN STUDIO: Available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15. Ceramics, $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes, and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/ fee for kiln usage. To register, email ceramics@ visualartcayman.com or info@visualartcayman.com or call 546-9422. SUMMER CAMPS VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Calvary Baptist Church, 191 Walkers Road. July 23-27. For ages 4 to 17. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Contact 949-0629 or info2cbc@gmail.com. BRAC SPORTS: Basketball July 23-27, 8:30 a.m. to noon, LSHS Court. Junior Lifeguards, July 30-Aug. 3. 8:30 a.m. to noon, Venue TBD. Football Aug. 5–10, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Cayman Brac Sports Complex. Contact harold.sanford@gov.ky. 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. 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 12-16, July 30 to Aug. 3, $325. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Prospect Playhouse. Register at www.cds.ky. GENERAL INTEREST SCHOOL HEALTH SCREENINGS: The Public Health Department reminds parents that school entry screening continues. All students entering government or private schools for the first time are required to have health screenings before the new school year begins in August. Screenings continue at the John Gray High School Medical Centre until Aug. 17, and at the Public Health Department at the Cayman Islands Hospital Aug. 20-31. Completed forms from private physicians should be submitted to the Public Health Department, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For screenings in Cayman Brac, call the Public Health Nurse on 948-2243. For further information, call 326-4890, 326-3882 or 925-5401. PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION: For students 10 to 14. Photos need to creatively demonstrate sun safety (hats, sunglasses, sunscreen) while having fun. It could be at the beach, soccer field, in town, anywhere outside, doing anything fun. Email photo – one per person – to fununderthesun2018@gmail. com. The best five will win prizes. Competition runs until Aug. 31. Organized by the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. LIQUOR LICENSE HOLDERS: License holders – including those with music and dancing licenses – are reminded of the upcoming Annual Liquor License Meeting to be held Sept. 13. The deadline for applications is Aug. 24. BOOK SALE: Five-dollar bag book sale at the Red Cross Thrift Shop during July. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 5–7 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Customers can get all the books they can fit in a single bag for only $5. 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. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. A fishing tournament, organized by the Spot Bay Committee, will be held on Cayman Brac on Saturday, July 28.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 Trump: New Air Force One to get makeover President Donald Trump says: ‘Air Force One is going to be incredible. It’s going to be top of the line, the top in the world, and it’s going to be red, white and blue, which I think is appropriate.’ Updated models could be delivered in time for a potential second term. Out of hospital, Thai soccer boys recount moment they were discovered in cave CHIANG RAI, Thailand (AP) — The 12 boys and their soccer coach res- cued from a cave in northern Thai- land described the moment they re- alized they finally had been found, as they appeared at a news con- ference Wednesday after leaving the hospital where they had been recuperating. “We were digging stones on top of the hill and we heard voices,” said 14-year-old Adul Samon. He said the coach told everyone to be quiet. “We weren’t sure if it was for real,” Adul said. “So we stopped and listened. And it turned out to be true. I was shocked.” Adul said he then snatched a flashlight from another team member and rushed down to meet the two British divers who found them nearly 10 days after they be- came trapped in the flooded cave. The group, looking healthy, en- tered the news conference to applause from reporters and classmates and put on a quick dem- onstration of their ball-handling skills on a miniature soccer field set up in the hall where they met jour- nalists from around the world. They then hugged their friends before taking seats up front with doctors and members of the Thai navy SEAL unit that helped bring them out, along with others who helped them during their ordeal, which ended after more than two weeks when they were brought out of the cave last week. The boys, whose ages range from 11 to 16, and their coach answered questions submitted by the media, including about the lessons they learned during their experience. “I feel stronger, I have more pa- tience, endurance, tolerance,” said 13-year-old Mongkol Boonpiam. Adul said, “This experience teaches me not to live life carelessly.” Several said they want to become professional soccer players, while four said they wanted to emulate the heroes who saved them. “I want to be a navy SEAL because I want to help others,” said one. All said they want to apolo- gize to their parents, most of whom they had not informed in advance about the trek to the cave after soccer practice. “I know my mom is going to punish me and I am in big trouble with my mother,” one of the boys said when asked what he expected to happen when he got home. Doctors said the 13 were healthy in body and mind. They said the boys gained around 6.6 pounds on average since they were rescued from the cave. They were said to have lost an average of 9 pounds during the more than two weeks they were trapped in the cave. The news conference was the first opportunity the members of the team had to speak directly to the media, though video of them was re- leased previously. Officials reviewed questions in advance to make cer- tain none might cause damaging psychological effects. The Wild Boars teammates had entered the Tham Luang cave on June 23 for what was to be a quick, relaxing excursion after soccer practice. But rain began falling while they were underground, and water filled the caverns, cutting off their escape. The British divers found the group huddling on a spot of dry ground deep inside the cave on July 2, hungry but generally healthy. An international team of rescuers using diving equipment and pul- leys extracted the 12 boys and their coach through the tight, flooded passageways over three days, con- cluding July 10. Some of the boys were treated for minor infections during their hospital stay, but all 13 have been described as recovering well. The family of one of the boys was preparing their home for his re- turn Wednesday night. Banphot Konkum, an uncle who has raised 13-year-old Duang- petch Promthep, said he’ll have a renovated bedroom and gifts awaiting him. “We’ll do whatever he wants. If he wants anything we’ll buy it for him as a present as we prom- ised that when he gets out, what- ever he wants we’ll do it for him,” Banphot said. Coach Ekkapol Janthawong, left, speaks on behalf of the 12 boys and himself to a drawing of Saman Gunan, the retired Thai SEAL diver who died while trying to rescue them, during a press conference discussing their ordeal in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP EU fines Google a record $5 billion for mobile system BRUSSELS (AP) – The Euro- pean Union fined Google a record $5 billion Wednesday for using the market domi- nance of its Android mobile operating system to force handset makers to install Google apps, reducing choice for consumers. The EU said Google broke the rules when it required mobile phone producers to pre-install the Google Search and browser apps if they wanted to use Google’s app store. Google also paid big producers to exclusively pre- install the Google Search app. EU Competition Commis- sioner Margrethe Vestager said “companies must com- pete on their merits,” playing by rules that favor consumers and open markets, and not restrict competition. Google immediately re- sponded that it would ap- peal. “Android has created more choice for everyone, not less,” said company spokesman Al Verney. The EU’s fine, which caps a three-year investigation, is the biggest ever imposed on a company for anticompeti- tive behavior. Vestager said that once the financial size of the com- pany is taken into account, the 4.34 billion euro fine is not disproportionate. Google parent company Alphabet made $9.4 billion in profit in the first three months of the year and reportedly had over $100 billion in cash reserves. In June last year, regula- tors already fined Google 2.42 billion euros ($2.8 billion) for favoring its shopping listings in search results. But the EU’s insistence that Google change its prac- tices could have a bigger im- pact than the fine itself. “The important thing is not to be distracted by the size of the fine, what is im- portant is that Google has to change its abusive behavior,” Rich Stables, CEO of the rival search engine Kelkoo, told The Associated Press. Android is an open-source operating system that Google lets mobile phone makers use for free. As a result, it is the most widely used system, beating even Apple’s iOS. The EU says Google has market shares exceeding 90 percent in most European countries. The EU wants to ensure that phone makers are free to pre-install apps of their choosing and allow for com- petition in services such as internet search. It also wants them to be able to more easily use altered – or “fork” – versions of Android. Google argues that could hurt its ability to pro- vide Android for free, as its main way of making money from the operating system is through advertising and the sale of content and apps. Its main rival in mo- bile systems, Apple, makes most of its money from the sale of devices. Giving phone makers more freedom to use altered versions of Android could also hurt Google. Samsung, a hugely popular maker of Android devices through its Galaxy line, could break off and take much of the Android ecosystem with it. If Google’s business ac- tivities are too harshly con- strained, the argument fol- lows, it might no longer be able to provide Android for free to handset makers. Daniel Castro, vice pres- ident of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a think tank in Washington, said the ruling “is a blow to innovative, open- source business models.” The EU’s clash with Google is reminiscent of its past battle with Microsoft. In that case, the EU said Microsoft used the market dominance of its Windows operating system to lead con- sumers to use Microsoft’s browser, internet Explorer. Microsoft was also fined and in the end was forced to give users a more explicit choice of browsers. As technology’s impact in modern life spreads, Euro- pean regulators have set the pace in shaping rules for the industry. European govern- ments tend to want to con- trol companies more than in the U.S., which has given tech companies like Google a freer hand. The difference in ap- proach was highlighted after a scandal over the misuse of millions of Face- book users’ personal data in political campaigns, in- cluding the 2016 presiden- tial vote in the U.S. European regulators had already been working on tougher privacy regulation and in May en- forced new rules that are influencing the way some companies operate outside of the region as well. The Google crackdown also comes at a sensitive time for trans-Atlantic relations, with U.S. President Donald Trump lambasting the EU as a “foe” only last week. The U.S. has imposed tariffs on EU steel and aluminum this year and the EU has responded with tariffs on American goods. The U.S. is now also considering taxes on imports of European cars. The U.S. has also com- plained that the EU has mainly targeted U.S. compa- nies – including also Apple and Amazon – for breaking competition or tax rules. “We have to protect con- sumers and competition to make sure consumers get the best of fair competition,” Ve- stager said. “We will continue to do it, no matter the polit- ical context.” The EU’s fine, which caps a three-year investigation, is the biggest ever imposed on a company for anticompetitive behavior.8 WORLD&REGIONAL WASHINGTON (AP) – A 29-year-old woman accused of being a covert Russian agent was “likely” in contact with operatives of the suc- cessor agency to the KGB while she lived in the United States, prosecutors said Wednesday in court papers. Maria Butina had con- tact information for people who, prosecutors say, were employees of the Russia’s Federal Security Services, or FSB, according to the govern- ment. The FBI also observed her dining privately with a Russian diplomat suspected of being an intelligence op- erative, in the weeks before the envoy’s departure from the U.S. last March. Prosecutors made the allegations in documents made public before an af- ternoon hearing in which a judge will decide whether to keep Butina in jail while she awaits trial on charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Russia. Citing her intelligence ties, the government is ar- guing that Butina poses an “extreme” risk of fleeing the U.S., where she has been living on a student visa. In seeking her detention, pros- ecutors said Butina’s “legal status in the United States is predicated on deception.” They said surveillance video from the past week shows that Butina planned to leave the country. Her lease on an apartment ends later this month and her bags were packed at the time of her arrest last weekend, prosecutors said. Her personal ties, “save for those U.S. persons she at- tempted to exploit and in- fluence,” are to Russia, ac- cording to the government court filing. “The concern that Butina poses a risk of flight is only heightened due to her con- nection to suspected Rus- sian intelligence operatives,” prosecutors wrote. Prosecutors also said Bu- tina was regarded as a co- vert agent by a Russian of- ficial with whom she was in touch, with text mes- sages discovered by the FBI showing how the official lik- ened her to Anna Chapman, a Russian woman who was arrested in 2010 and then deported as part of a prisoner swap. In March 2017, fol- lowing news coverage of Butina, the Russian official wrote, “Are your admirers asking for your autographs yet? You have upstaged Anna Chapman. She poses with toy pistols, while you are being published with real ones,” according to the court filing. Butina and the official messaged each other di- rectly on Twitter, prosecu- tors said. One such exchange occurred a month before the U.S. presidential election when Butina said she un- derstood that “everything has to be quiet and careful.” They also spoke on Jan. 20, 2017 when Butina sent the official a photo of her near the U.S. Capitol on the day Donald Trump was in- augurated as president. Ac- cording to court papers, the Russian official responded, “You’re a daredevil girl! What can I say!()” Butina re- sponded, “Good teachers!” THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS In battle for Putin’s affections, cupid favors Xi over Trump BEIJING (AP) – In the race to woo Vladimir Putin, Chi- na’s Xi Jinping is beating Donald Trump. Trump’s quest to kindle a bromance with the Russian president has made some Americans squirm. His gushy performance in Helsinki, ex- pressing confidence in Putin instead of U.S. intelligence agencies, ignited outrage across the political spec- trum back home. Should Beijing worry that Trump could suc- ceed in pulling Putin away from China? Probably not, political analysts say. Trump’s charm offensive might cause Beijing a twinge of unease, given its tumul- tuous history with Moscow. But in this love triangle, Putin and Xi are linked by strategic necessity, plus gen- uine personal affection. “Trump has made clear that he is a big fan of Putin,” said Li Xin, director of the Russia center at the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Studies. “But everyone knows that Trump frequently changes his mind,” said Li. “His at- tempts to be friendly cannot compete with the history and the intimacy of Xi and Putin’s relationship.” Moscow and Beijing are linked by practical and po- litical needs. China wants Russian oil and gas to power the world’s second-largest economy. Moscow needs Chinese trade and investment more than ever following its estrange- ment from the West over its 2014 annexation of Crimea. They share a loathing of Islamic radicalism in Cen- tral Asia and resent U.S. global dominance. “Both leaders seek to curtail American influence, weaken U.S. alliances and modify the international system so it is more favor- able to them,” Bonnie Glaser of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington said in an email. Trump raves about Pu- tin’s political skills, but the Chinese and Russian leaders have long enthused publicly about their unique rapport. Ahead of a visit to Bei- jing in June, Putin remi- nisced about celebrating his birthday with Xi over vodka and sausages five years ago. “I’ve never established such relations or made such arrangements with any for- eign colleague, but I did it with President Xi,” Putin told Chinese state TV. Xi presented Putin with China’s first “friendship medal” – an ornate gold neck- lace – and called him “my best, most intimate friend.” The Russian and Chinese presidents have spent more time with one another than either has with any other foreign leader. As far as it is possible for global leaders to become real friends, they are “setting a pretty high bar,” said Alex- ander Gabuev, a Sino-Rus- sian relations expert at the Carnegie Moscow Center. “China has nothing to worry about,” said Gabuev. Following the Helsinki summit, China’s foreign min- istry welcomed improved U.S.-Russian relations. A spokeswoman said Beijing was “full of confidence” about its own ties with Moscow. “China-Russia rela- tions will not be affected by any external factors,” said Hua Chunying. Yet there is the remote possibility Washington and Moscow might one day feel the need to unite against China if its rising influ- ence tramples their inter- ests, suggested commentator Harry Kazianis. “While we might rightly see Moscow as a rogue na- tion today, tomorrow it could be a partner in containing a common foe,” Kazianis wrote this month in The American Conservative. That is unlikely any time soon, experts say. Trump backtracked on one of his comments after the outcry back home over his apparent dismissal of U.S. intelligence reports that Moscow meddled in the 2016 election. Rather than view Trump as a rival for Russia’s friend- ship, China is more likely to be pleased by the growing split between Trump and American allies in Europe. “Beijing has better ties with both Washington and Moscow than they have with each other,” Glaser said. “China likely expects that Trump’s visit will not change this reality.” In this June 8, 2018 photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during an award ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. - PHOTO: AP Prosecutors want suspected covert Russian agent kept in jail In this 2013 photo, Maria Butina, leader of a pro-gun organization in Russia, speaks to a crowd during a rally in support of legalizing the possession of handguns in Moscow, Russia. - PHOTO: AP Citing her intelligence ties, the government is arguing that Butina poses an “extreme” risk of fleeing the U.S., where she has been living on a student visa. Trump: Montenegro’s ‘aggressive people’ could start WWIII WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump, who rattled U.S. allies at a NATO meeting last week, voiced concern in a television interview broad- cast Tuesday night that sending troops from the al- liance to defend an “aggres- sive” Montenegro could result in World War III. Trump was asked about Montenegro, which joined NATO last year and has a population smaller than that of the District of Columbia, during a Fox News interview with host Tucker Carlson. Carlson pressed Trump on the purpose of the alli- ance, which was created in 1949 to protect the United States, Canada and a host of Western European nations from Soviet incursion. The or- ganization calls for member nations to come to the aid of any ally that is attacked. “Why should my son go to Montenegro to defend it from attack?” Carlson asked in the interview, which was recorded Monday after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vlad- imir Putin in Helsinki. “I understand what you’re saying, I’ve asked the same question,” Trump responded. “You know, Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people …. They are very ag- gressive people, they may get aggressive, and congrat- ulations, you’re in World War III. But that’s the way it was set up. Don’t forget, I just got here a little more than a year and a half ago.” Article 5 – the provision that calls for NATO members to come to the aid of allies under attack – has been in- voked only once, in the after- math of the Sept. 11, 2001, ter- rorist attacks on the United States. It does not apply in cases in which a NATO member is the aggressor. Trump’s comments came after a NATO meeting in Brus- sels last week in which he up- braided allies for not living up to an agreement on how much they should pay for de- fense. The president also crit- icized Germany for a natural gas pipeline deal with Russia, saying it made the country “captive” to Russia. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted that the meeting was “an acknowledged tri- umph,” taking credit for members pledging to meet their commitments. © 2018, The Washington Post9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018 Bombing intense in Syrian holdout BEIRUT (AP) – Talks to cede the largest opposition holdout in southwestern Syria to government forces have failed, triggering an in- tense overnight bombing campaign on the densely populated town of Nawa that killed over a dozen people and wounded over a hun- dred, activists and rescuers said Wednesday. Separately, some 7,000 Syrians were expected to be evacuated from two pro-gov- ernment villages in north- western Syria as part of a ne- gotiated deal with insurgents who have besieged them for three years. Britain-based Syrian Ob- servatory for Human Rights said “frenzied” overnight bombing in Nawa and the town’s surroundings con- tinued into Wednesday, with at least 350 missiles launched. The Observatory said at least 12 people were killed as rescuers struggled to get to the casualties. Khaled Solh, head of the local Syria Civil Defense known as White Helmets, said they have documented 14 killed while Nawa’s only hospital was bombed and rendered non-operational late Tuesday. Only one ambulance was able to get to the town and civilians relied on their cars to bring out at least 150 wounded. He said one of the last orthopedists in the town was killed in the strikes. Images from across the frontier in the Israel-occu- pied Golan Heights showed large plumes of smoke rising over the Nawa area, as the bombing continued Wednesday. Hundreds of ci- vilians were seen taking cover in shelters along the frontier, apparently seeking safety in the de-militarized zone between the two coun- tries. Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967, and a cease-fire deal was reached in 1974. In less than a month, Syrian government forces backed by Russian air power have been able to seize control of most of south- western Daraa province, in- cluding the provincial cap- ital of the same name. The city of Daraa was the cradle of the uprising against Presi- dent Bashar Assad more than seven years ago. The government stepped up its military offensive on the remaining opposition pockets in the southwestern region, which includes the Daraa and Quneitra prov- inces that straddle the border with Jordan and the fron- tier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In recent days, Syrian forces have turned to the last opposition pockets near the frontier with Israel. Alongside the military of- fensive, the government has struck “reconciliation” deals, essentially a negotiated ca- pitulation in a number of vil- lages that have been in rebel hands for years, to restore government control there. Talks to hand over Nawa, one of the most densely pop- ulated towns in Daraa prov- ince, have been ongoing for a couple of days. That has en- couraged displaced civilians to return to Nawa, said a local activist who goes by the name Selma Mohammed. But the talks faltered, triggering the overnight on- slaught and a new wave of displacement, with hundreds leaving the town again. On Wednesday, the bombing focused on towns and villages surrounding Nawa, making the road in and out of town deadly, Mohammed said. The Observatory said warplanes and ground forces have also targeted the southern tip of the re- gion, which is held by mili- tants affiliated with the Is- lamic State group. The government offen- sive has displaced more than 230,000 people, many of them on the run in the open. Jordan said it will not take in new refugees and Israeli soldiers have shooed away dozens of pro- testers who had approached the frontier Tuesday, de- manding protection. Meanwhile, about 7,000 Syrians were expected to be evacuated from two pro-gov- ernment villages in north- western Syria, ending a three- year siege by insurgents who control the surrounding area. Dozens of buses arrived in the Foua and Kfraya vil- lages to transport the evac- uees on Wednesday, Syrian state media said. Evacuation deals have been criticized by the United Nations as forced displacement. A negotiated deal to evac- uate Foua and Kfraya vil- lagers earlier this year fal- tered after the evacuation of only 40 people from a third village. The evacuees’ first stop is the government-con- trolled city of Aleppo. In this photo released Tuesday by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrians celebrate as they hold their national flags and pictures of Syrian president Bashar Assad, in the town of al-Hrak, Daraa province, Syria. The government has regained control of the town in an offensive, backed by Russian air power. - PHOTO: AP Egypt passes bill to block popular social media accounts as ‘fake news’ CAIRO (AP) – Egypt’s par- liament has passed a bill targeting popular social media accounts that au- thorities accuse of pub- lishing “fake news,” the latest move in a five-year- old drive to suppress dis- sent and silence indepen- dent sources of news. The legislation was ad- opted late on Monday by the staunchly pro-government chamber, though details of the new bill only emerged on Wednesday. The legislation labels per- sonal social media accounts with more than 5,000 fol- lowers as media outlets and empowers authorities to block them on the grounds of publishing “fake news.” There was no elaboration on what is or is not consid- ered as “fake news.” The bill still needs to go to President Abdel-Fattah el- Sissi for ratification – a fore- gone conclusion since such bills are often inspired by his government. The gen- eral-turned-president, in power since 2014, has over- seen Egypt’s largest crack- down on dissent El-Sissi won a second, four-year term in March after running virtually un- opposed. In 2013, as de- fense minister, he led the military’s ouster of a freely elected but divisive Is- lamist president, Mo- hammed Morsi. Authorities have since jailed thousands, mostly Islamists but also secularists behind a 2011 uprising that toppled Mor- si’s predecessor, longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Authorities have over the past year blocked some 500 websites, including those of independent media and rights groups. The authorities have claimed such websites supported “terrorism” or re- ported “false news.” Egypt was ranked 161 out of 180 countries in the 2017 Press Freedom Index, ac- cording to Reporters Without Borders advocacy group. Under the new legisla- tion, the power to block pop- ular accounts will rest with the country’s chief media regulator, hand-picked by the president. He would also have the authority to file criminal complaints against platforms and individuals ac- cused of such offenses as “in- citing people to violate laws” and “defamation or discrim- ination against individuals and religions.” Prominent journalists have decried the bill as un- constitutional and a vio- lation of basic press free- doms, saying they grant far-reaching powers to au- thorities to censor the press, revoke media licenses and re- strict journalists’ work. The pro-government chairman of the journalists’ union, Abdel-Mohsen Salama, has welcomed the legislation, but six members of the union board have protested the bill’s “vague phrasing” that, they say, allows authorities to control the media. They also argue that the bill allows the detention of journalists pending trial in violation of the constitu- tion, a relatively liberal doc- ument adopted in 2014 but which critics say has often been ignored or misinter- preted by the government as it presses on with its sup- pression of freedoms. “It is a sad day for the press,” said Yahia Kalash, the former head of the jour- nalists’ union. In this 2011 file photo, ‘We are the men of Facebook’ is written on the ground as anti-government protesters gather in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt. - PHOTO: AP IRAN NUCLEAR CHIEF SAYS URANIUM STOCKPILE REACHES 950 TONS TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran continues to acquire ura- nium and is close to fin- ishing a factory where it can build more centrifuges to enrich it, the country’s nu- clear chief said Wednesday, adding also that uranium stockpiles have nearly dou- bled in the last few years. The comments by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organiza- tion, came as Tehran is in talks with major powers on preserving a 2015 deal meant to keep the country from developing nuclear weapons in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the accord. Salehi said on state tele- vision that Iran has im- ported some 400 tons of so- called yellowcake uranium since the 2015 landmark nu- clear deal, bringing its stock- pile to between 900 and 950 tons – up from 500 tons. Since the 2015 deal, Iran has purchased yellow- cake from Kazakhstan and Russia, as well as mined its own domestically. The accord allows for that, but limits Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 3.67 percent, enough to use in a nuclear power plant but far lower than the 90 percent needed for an atomic weapon. The U.S. pulled out of the deal in May, and since then the remaining coun- tries – Russia, China, Ger- many, France and Britain as well as the European Union – have been nego- tiating with Tehran to try and save the agreement with economic incentives and guarantees. Following the U.S. withdrawal, Iran vowed to boost enrichment capacity to put pressure on the remaining signatories to live up to the agreement. In addition to an- nouncing the continued purchases from Russia and elsewhere, Salehi said Iran is also working on explora- tion to find additional re- sources inside the country to meet more uranium needs domestically. Salehi said Iran has also almost completed a factory aimed at building new gen- eration of centrifuge ma- chines showed in June for the first time. Also in June, Iran said it has restarted production at a “major” uranium fa- cility involved in its nuclear program in Isfahan, which produces material needed to make enriched uranium.Next >