ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 High of 90 Low of 79 Smooth to slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 EUROPEAN UNION: ‘GOOGLING FOR DOLLARS’ LOCAL | PAGE 3 INTERNATIONAL EFFORT BEGINS CONNECTING CAYMAN FAMILIES OFREG’S 2018 BUDGET IS LARGER THAN LAST YEAR’S Regulator now receiving funding from fuels sector KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Utility Regulation and Competition Of- fice, known as OfReg, budgeted roughly $5.6 million in operating expenses for 2018, which is some $1 million more than the regulator spent last year. Despite running a nearly $1.5 million op- erating deficit in 2017, OfReg’s 2018 budget shows increases in staff payroll, directors’ fees, training and other operating expenses. The expenditures will be paid for in part by revenue increases from the fuels sector, ac- cording to OfReg. The budget projected a reduction in travel- related expenses to $116,600 in 2018 “due to reduced budgeting for staff travel for interna- tional meetings, conferences and workshops versus 2017.” But this has not been the case, as records obtained by the Cayman Compass show that OfReg has already spent $132,895 on travel-related expenses from Jan. 1 through the end of May this year. The regulator has spent at least $387,645 on travel-related ex- penses since it was created in January 2017. In terms of revenue, OfReg projected size- able revenue increases for this year, with in- come jumping from $2.9 million in 2017 to $5.4 million in 2018. That projected increase largely came from expectations that revenue from the water and fuels sectors would increase by Police consider replacing aging helicopter Cost could be US$8M-$10M BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Royal Cayman Islands Police Eurocopter EC-135, which won international acco- lades for its search-and-rescue efforts during 2017’s hurricane season, is getting old. The 1999 model helicopter had a projected useful life of about five years when it ar- rived in Cayman in early 2010 and by now has gone well be- yond that date. However, a thorough – and expensive – maintenance regime has kept the vehicle in peak con- dition over the years and RCIPS Air Support Unit commanders expect it to last at least another five years on patrol. “The succession plan for the helicopter currently fore- sees replacement in about five years,” said Police Commis- sioner Derek Byrne. “Given that the helicopter had only a five-year projection when it first arrived on island in 2010, the possibility of several more years’ use out of the heli- copter after already eight years in operation reflects positively on how it has been maintained and the utility the Cayman Is- lands has gleaned from it.” The success has come at a cost. Between 2013 and 2017, the Cayman Islands government TOURISM MINISTER MOSES KIRKCONNELL: Beach thefts an ‘affront’ to tourism industry JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A series of thefts from tourists on Cayman Islands beaches has been labeled an “affront” to one of the “core pillars” of the Cayman Is- lands economy. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said crimes against tourists risked harming the islands’ reputation as a safe and welcoming destination for holidaymakers. He said ev- eryone in the Cayman Islands suffered when tourists were targeted because it harmed the islands’ image. He was speaking after police reported a se- ries of thefts over the last 10 days from swim- mers at some of the island’s most popular beaches, including Governors Beach, Public Beach, Cemetery Beach and Smith Cove. In some cases, beachgoers have reported being approached by people who advised them about snorkeling spots offshore, before stealing from them. Mr. Kirkconnell acknowledged the reports of petty theft and opportunistic crime were concerning for a destination that promotes it- self as the safest in the region. He said, “Stealing personal items from people on the beach strikes at one of the core pillars of the Cayman Islands economy and cannot be tolerated. The Ministry of Tourism strongly condemns such thoughtless crim- inal acts which harm the good reputation of the Cayman Islands and undermine the efforts of thousands [of] people who are working hard on a daily basis to support our islands’ standing as a safe and welcoming vacation destination.” He congratulated the police on making speedy arrests in two of the recent cases and said his ministry was working with neighbor- hood officers and businesses to strengthen partnerships and help prevent crime. In one case, a security guard at the Westin hotel spotted a man and woman rifling through property on the beach in front of the hotel and apprehended them until the police arrived. Summer camp offers porthole glimpse into ocean Students at the National Trust summer camp on Monday hold up paper plates that they are going to paint to look like one of the portholes of the Nautilus semi-submarine, similar to the one being displayed by volunteer Catherine Childs, standing, left. The inspiration for their artwork was a trip Monday morning on the semi-sub that took the campers out into George Town Harbour. For more on this story, see page 5. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY JULY 24, 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. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE EQUALIZER 2 (R) 12:45 VIP I 1:30 I 4:25 I 6:45 I 9:45 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 (PG) 12:20 3D I 2:40 I 5:00 3D I 7:20 ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (PG13) 3:55 I 9:20 JURASSIC WORLD: THE FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 12:50 I 3:40 I 9:40 MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN (PG13) 4:10 I 7:00 I 9:45 INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 1:00 I 6:35 SKYSCRAPER (PG13) 1:15 3D I 3:40 VIP I 7:20 I 9:45 3D 10:00 VIP CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: NORTH BY NORTHWEST (PG) 7:00 VIP Drugs seized at airport, post office Three people, including two Caymanians and an American, were arrested over the past several days attempting to bring illegal drugs into the Cayman Is- lands, Her Majesty’s Customs service reported Monday. The most recent ar- rest happened Saturday at Owen Roberts International Airport. Customs officers said a 22-year-old man ar- riving from Washington, D.C., was found in possession of ganja shortly after getting off the plane. Customs officers involved in “passenger profiling” be- came suspicious about the man and found the ganja after a secondary search at the customs baggage area. Another arrest was made Friday as a 43-year- old Caymanian woman was heading through the bag- gage area after disem- barking from a Cayman Air- ways flight arriving from Kingston, Jamaica. She was found holding two packages of ganja, officials said. A third arrest was made Thursday at the airport post office. A 24-year-old man went to the parcel post sec- tion attempting to collect “supplements,” according to customs officers. Officers searched the package and found the item inside was a “con- trolled drug.” After the sus- pect was arrested, his ve- hicle was searched and ganja was discovered. TOASTMASTERS APPOINTS TWO AREA DIRECTORS MEXICO CITY (AP) – President- elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Sunday released a seven-page letter he sent to U.S. President Donald Trump detailing how he plans to im- prove Mexico’s economy and security when he takes office in December so that Mexicans do not feel the need to migrate. “There will be many changes,” he promised in the letter. “And in this new at- mosphere of progress with well-being, I’m sure we can reach agreements to con- front together the migration phenomenon as well as the problem of border insecurity.” Lopez Obrador also sug- gested the two countries draft a development plan backed by public funds and invite Central American countries to join, with the aim of making it “economi- cally unnecessary” for Cen- tral Americans to migrate. Marcelo Ebrard, who is slated to become Mexico’s foreign minister, read the letter aloud to reporters gath- ered at Lopez Obrador’s po- litical party headquarters. Ebrard said Trump had re- ceived the letter. The incoming Mexican president plans to cut gov- ernment salaries, perks and jobs. Savings from those cuts, he says, will be directed to- ward social programs and infrastructure. He also plans to reduce taxes for the pri- vate sector in the hopes of spurring investment and job creation. Lopez Obrador said Sunday that some of his fu- ture collaborators in govern- ment posts have offered to work for free during his six- year term. Several of his pro- posed Cabinet members are independently wealthy. “It’s an enormous privi- lege to participate in a pro- cess of transformation. There’s no price on this,” the president-elect said. He said he will publish salaries of government em- ployees, from high-ranking ministers to police officers. He also said his political party, Morena, will turn down the extra public financing it is supposed to receive next year because it won addi- tional seats in Congress. Lopez Obrador said Morena could collect up to 1.4 billion pesos (US$73.5 million) and more than double what it was allocated for 2018. Mex- ican electoral authorities as- signed the party 650 million pesos for this year. “That’s too much in an at- mosphere of austerity,” Lopez Obrador said. He said he does not want Morena to turn into an eco- nomic power with career pol- iticians who forget that their mission is to serve the people. The incoming Mexican president plans to cut government salaries, perks and jobs. Savings from those cuts, he says, will be directed toward social programs and infrastructure. Mexican president-elect vows improvements to deter migration Mexico’s President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pauses as he meets with the press Sunday outside his party’s headquarters in Mexico City. – PHOTO: AP Jusene Brown, past area director and installation officer of Toastmasters, center, poses with newly appointed area directors, Anna Clarke, left, and Kimberley Conolly. New GP hired at Doctors Hospital CTMH Doctors Hospital has added a new general prac- titioner, Dr. Renisha David from the U.K., to its staff. Dr. David, whose parents hail from the Caribbean, said the Cayman Islands already feels familiar to her. Her interest in medi- cine began when she did her GCSE work experience with a hospital neurologist and on the ward. “She learned at very young age that the intri- cacies of hospital teamwork for one individual can save the lives of many,” a press release from CTMH Doctors Hospital stated. She attended Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ Medical School, London. Before this, she completed a bachelor of science in psychology with basic medical science. Dr. David has a special in- terest in exercise medicine and is passionate about the use of exercise on prescrip- tion for the management of chronic disease. “She believes in empow- ering the community by en- couraging patients to take ownership in their health and to change the negative stigmas that go with physical exercise in today’s society,” the release stated. Dr. David says she would like to begin cracking down on Cayman’s obesity statis- tics and provide “an olive branch to those in need of a healthier lifestyle.” She is currently com- pleting a master’s degree in sport and exercise medicine at Queen Mary’s University, London. She also has an in- terest in lifestyle medicine and general well-being. Dr. Renisha David The Toastmasters’ year began July 1 with the ap- pointment of two area di- rectors in the Cayman Is- lands for the first time after the area realigned to allow more Toastmasters from Cayman the opportunity to serve at district level. The newly appointed area directors are Kim- berley Conolly for Area 15 to oversee Grand Cayman, Eloquent Speakers and Turks and Caicos Islands, and Anna Clarke, for Area 16, who will oversee Civil Service, Scotiabank Pio- neers and Eminent Orators. “Both ladies are thrilled at the opportunity to serve in such a prominent leader- ship role and look forward to a year of growth and success,” a press release from Toastmasters stated. Toastmasters Inter- national helps to develop communication and lead- ership skills, teaching in- dividuals how to improve their public speaking skills through local club meet- ings. The organization has more than 352,000 mem- bers among its 16,400 clubs in 141 countries. For more information on Toastmasters, email toastmasterscayman@gmail.com or visit www.toastmasters.org/ find-a-club/ to find all Toastmaster clubs on island.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 International effort begins connecting Cayman families MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ray Walters cannot re- ally talk about the impact of discovering his Cayman roots. Just the thought of ex- pressing it chokes him up. “It’s emotional,” said Mr. Walters, 78, of Denham Springs, Louisiana. His father, William Le- muel Watler, was just 12 years old when he took a po- sition as a cabin boy on a dredging boat. After some years at sea and a stint in the U.S. Army, serving in World War I, he landed in Loui- siana where, through a series of procedural circumstances, his last name of Watler was changed to Walters. William died when Ray was 12, and it was not until Ray visited the island 14 years ago and was able to meet Otto Watler that his family history began to take shape. Since that time, he and his family have teamed up with Cayman Connection UK, an agency that provides orien- tation and support services for Caymanians traveling to or moving to the U.K. and vice versa. Cayman Connec- tion UK also has a genealogy project that is gathering his- torical and lineage infor- mation on the Watler and Bodden families. “The idea of a cultural link has always been there,” said Kate Kandiah, a Cayman na- tive and one of Cayman Con- nection’s founders. “I’m fasci- nated with the links between a Caribbean Island that’s so small and the UK.” The plan, she said, is to start with the two orig- inal families. “We’ll see how we go with this one first,” she said. The project has drawn responses from 150 people in the U.K. and more be- yond, including the Loui- siana Walters. Kari Walters, 54, is Ray’s daughter. She is the most en- thusiastic researcher and has traced numerous branches of the family tree. She has iden- tified more than 8,000 people as part of the Watler/Wal- ters family. She was one of 10 family members who were in Cayman last week for va- cation and to do some addi- tional work on family history. “We spent a lot of time in the cemeteries with a camera,” Ms. Walters said. “I went to the Watler’s Cemetery and Spotts and Bodden Town.” Freaky things can happen in cemeteries. Cayman is no exception. Ms. Walters said one of the images she cap- tured was that of a photo- graph on a grave of a distant Watler relative. “It could have been my brother,” she said. “It was uncanny how much they resembled each other.” The family said it had received a trove of back- ground information and interesting stories about the Watler clan from Otto Watler. They also met with Olivaire Watler who has done a significant amount of genealogical research, in- cluding DNA testing. Olivaire said he began delving into family history when he was expecting his first child, about 16 years ago. His initial source was Phoebe Watler Spence, who was then in her 90s. “She was able to take me back about 200 years,” Ol- ivaire said, “and I have to say, she was pretty accurate.” He’s been able to use ship- ping records in Jamaica and the United States to glean information on his ances- tors. DNA testing has pointed to connections in Scotland and a smaller group in Ger- many. He believes the orig- inal family may have come from Germany to Scotland several hundred years ago when there was an influx of merchants. The information, he said, helps illuminate the family history. Some of the data is broad and still uncertain. But it can also get very personal. Ray Walters has come to understand how much of his Cayman heritage his father retained. He was an expert carpenter, using skills he first acquired while at sea. He also encouraged the kids to drink coconut water when it was available and he would not cook with anything other than coconut oil. “He would not cook with lard,” Mr. Walters said. “When mom went into the hospital to deliver, he’d go buy co- conut oil and cook for us. And he was a good cook.” The Cayman connec- tions he’s made, he said, have helped him answer a lot of questions he never had the chance to ask his father. “A lot of things he told me, a lot of things he did and the way he did it, you understand it,” he said. “It’s been a lot of satisfaction.” Olivaire Watler said the Cayman Connection project that has helped connect the families is important. “It just becomes more real to us who these people were and how they shaped Cayman into what it is today,” he said. Cayman’s Charles Watler, left, talks with relative Ray Walters during a gathering July 18 at the South Sound Community Centre. Members of the Louisiana and Texas Walters clan gathered together with their relatives from Cayman, the Watlers, for a photo at the South Sound Community Centre on July 18. 2 more Cuban migrants released KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two more Cuban mi- grants have been released from the Immigration Deten- tion Centre, bringing the total number of migrants on su- pervised release to five. The migrants are living in the Cayman community while their applications for asylum are processed. The releases come after the Department of Immigra- tion announced earlier this month that it is “reviewing alternatives” to keeping the 13 asylum-seeking Cuban mi- grants detained at the Immi- gration Detention Centre. The Cayman Compass learned of the latest two re- leases from sources. The newspaper contacted the Im- migration Department for of- ficial confirmation, but had not received a response by press time Monday. The department stated earlier that given the de- lays in finalizing the de- tainees’ immigration status – five men in the center had been detained for more than two years, and six others had been detained for more than one year – the acting chief immigration of- ficer has “agreed to review the continued detention of the migrants.” However, in reviewing their detention, any poten- tial risks posed to the com- munity by their release will be the paramount consider- ation, the immigration de- partment stated. Some of the migrants had been conducting a hunger strike in protest of their pro- longed detainment, as well as the conditions at the de- tention center. The Human Rights Commission also crit- icized the conditions there, finding rotten food, dirty and stopped-up toilets, moldy or damaged showers and inade- quate fire prevention systems when inspecting the center earlier this month. When the first three mi- grants were released on July 13, one Cuban told the Com- pass that the “strike is off” and they “have been eating for a few days” now.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. 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” The European Union, an assemblage of increasingly fractious and rebellious states, does not appear in the least humbled, or even aware of, its failing model where the identities and interests of nation-states are subsumed to its ever more-intrusive central government. Is it any wonder that the good people of the United Kingdom, through the referendum which became known as Brexit, voted en masse to say bye-bye to Brussels? The latest overreach by the EU bureaucrats is the levying last week of a US$5 billion fine on the American business Google (owned by Alphabet Inc.) which was deemed by the EU’s radical regulator, Margrethe Vestager, to have committed antitrust violations. Ms. Vestager holds the Orwellian title of “Competition Commissioner” of the European Union. In an astonishing combination of hubris and ignorance, Ms. Vestager accused Google of “unfair business prac- tices” which she said had given the company an unfair market advantage and stifled healthy competition. Her concern?: That Google, which freely allows phone manu- facturers to install the Google Play app store, does so only on the condition that the manufacturers also install Google’s popular search and web browsing software as default options on the device. EU regulators, who also object to Alphabet paying phone makers to exclusively pre-install Google search capabilities on their devices, say this exchange amounts to an “unfair business practice” yielding an unfair market advantage and stifling competition. Of course, it is the exact opposite. It is a win-win exchange that allows con- sumers access to more than 3.3 million apps offered by Google and hundreds of thousands of third-party devel- opers – many of them for free. To be clear, there is nothing unusual or unfair about Google’s licensing agreements. No company is compelled to use Google’s Android operating system or Google Play; no consumer is pre- vented from installing competitors’ search and browsing software on their phone. No developer or company is barred from attempting to create software that is superior to Google’s products. Arguing that Google’s market dominance, itself, repre- sents an unfair advantage makes about as much sense as arguing that today’s music streaming services are unfairly stifling the market for vinyl records or the 8-track tape. Using a heavy hand and curiously distorted notions of what a free marketplace should look like, EU regulators are endangering a symbiotic system that enhances com- petition and magnifies consumer choice. Alphabet is expected to appeal the regulators’ edict. In the meantime, it has just 90 days to cease its “illegal conduct.” One easy way to do that would be to begin charging mobile phone companies (and, thereby, consumers) for the use of Google Play. Just wait for the howl from consumers if Google goes that route! Under the guise of “regulation,” governments the world over, including here in Cayman, are too eager to fill their coffers by levying super-sized fines on everyone from the largest corporations to the “smallest” citizens. Think, for example, of the proposed $10,000 fine for Caymanians failing to display an electronic license plate and tags. Penalties and fines should never be thought of as “revenue measures,” imposed to pay the exorbitant expenses of government on the struggling backs of the people they purport to represent. (We used to see this practice in full flower in small towns in Texas. They were called “speed traps.”) If Google were ever to pay the $5 billion fine (which it will not), the funds should go directly back to the European people, not to the Brussels bureaucrats – autocrats – who will spend it, what, in a matter of minutes? European Union: ‘Googling for Dollars’ TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Will New Jersey send a Republican to the Senate? ”This human nature is shabby stuff, as you may know from introspection.” – Peter De Vries SUMMIT, N.J. – Or from reading the “public letter of admonition” sent by the U.S. Senate’s Select Com- mittee on Ethics to Robert Menendez, the Democratic incumbent seeking a third full term representing New Jersey. Nationwide, Demo- crats are defending 26 Senate seats, Republicans only nine. Five Democratic incum- bents are running in states that 21 months ago experi- enced Donald Trump swoons: He won Missouri by 18.6 points, Indiana by 19.2, Mon- tana by 20.4, North Dakota by 35.7, West Virginia by 42.1. In New Jersey, which Hillary Clinton carried by 14.1 points, Menendez was supposed to be safe. The Republicans’ most re- cent presidential victory in New Jersey was in 1988. In the subsequent seven elec- tions, the Democratic presi- dential candidates’ average margin of victory was almost 13 points. This state last elected a Republican sen- ator (Clifford Case) in 1972. This 46-year drought might end in November. Robert Hugin, 63, grew up in blue-collar Union City, as did Menendez, with whom Hugin served as stu- dent representatives to the local board of education. Hugin became the first in his family to graduate from college (Princeton), served 14 years in the Marine Corps (his two sons are now offi- cers), then went into busi- ness, rising to run a pharma- ceutical company. This sin, although scarlet in the over- heated public mind, might be less so than Menendez’s transgressions detailed in the letter. With hilarious understate- ment, James Madison, who was not known for hilarity, said, “Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” A unanimous Senate ethics committee (three Re- publicans, three Demo- crats) in its April 26 letter to Menendez said: “By this letter, you are hereby severely admonished.” Menendez, the letter said, brought “dis- credit upon the Senate” by the following: “Over a six-year period,” Menendez “knowingly and repeatedly accepted gifts of significant value” from a friend (an ophthalmolo- gist who, the letter did not say, is currently appealing a 17-year sentence for $73 mil- lion of fraudulent Medicare billings). The gifts included air travel on private and com- mercial flights, a luxury hotel stay in Paris (the commit- tee’s letter is demurely silent about Menendez’s accompa- nying girlfriend) and 19 visits to a Dominican Republic villa. He neither publicly re- ported, nor received written permission for, these gifts. In addition, the committee said, Menendez improp- erly intervened with federal agencies with “persistent ad- vocacy” for his friend’s busi- ness interests. New Jersey Democrats – they outnumber Repub- licans by nearly 900,000 – powered Menendez to a 19-point victory six years ago. In last month’s pri- mary, however, his oppo- nent won 37.8 percent of the vote while spending next to nothing – not enough to re- quire filing any financial statement. In October he was underwater, 19-59, in a poll about whether he de- serves re-election. Today, polls show Menendez with small single-digit leads, but Hugin’s brass-knuckle ads are saying things like this: “[President] Obama’s Justice Department said [Menendez] belongs in jail.” The depart- ment brought a 14-count felony corruption indictment, which resulted in a nearly three-month trial that did not convict Menendez. The government then decided against a new prosecution. Hugin might be hindered by the Republican tax cut, which limited the deduct- ibility on federal income taxes of state and local tax payments. This particularly hurts residents of high-tax blue states such as this one. The 10 percent of New Jersey voters affected are affected substantially because prop- erty taxes are very high. Hugin says that New Jersey ranks 50th among the states in the high ratio of money sent to Washington compared to the money Washington sends back. He notes that the state has suf- fered from the out-migration of high earners. (One, who a few years ago decamped to income-tax-free Florida, had been sending hundreds of millions a year to Trenton.) The fastest rate of out-mi- gration is among those ages 18 to 34. The state leads the nation in the percentage of young adults living with their parents – a nightmare for both sides of the transaction. Most New Jersey voters get their news from New York and Philadelphia televi- sion stations that pay min- imal attention to the state, and many New Jersey news- papers, experiencing resource constraints common to the industry everywhere, have re- duced power to broadly in- form. So, Hugin must pay for the dissemination of in- formation about Menen- dez’s many departures from Senate standards. This election will test whether voters think that being a luridly indiscreet (this is a discreet way of de- scribing Menendez’s be- havior) senator is less objec- tionable than Hugin’s guilt of association with the phar- maceutical industry whose products help to give mil- lions of people sufficient longevity and vitality to nurse grievances against the products’ prices. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL The Republicans’ most recent presidential victory in New Jersey was in 1988. In the subsequent seven elections, the Democratic presidential candidates’ average margin of victory was almost 13 points. This state last elected a Republican senator (Clifford Case) in 1972. This 46-year drought might end in November.5 LOCAL NEWS JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Young National Trust campers recently explored life underwater aboard the semi-submarine Nau- tilus – Cayman’s Undersea tour attraction. The underwater adven- ture was day 1 of camp for 14 youngsters attending the “Her- itage Heroes Summer Camp” at South Sound’s Dart Park, which continues until Aug. 3. Camper Brianna Ebanks said she enjoyed the trip be- cause the children got to so- cialize with other kids and people on board the vessel. “Staying at home in the summer can be really boring, but when you have other kids to play with and learning about the environment at the same time, it’s pretty cool,” she said. Jeremy Grizzel said he had lots of fun watching the fisherman feed the fish and hearing about shipwrecks. Camper Jaiden Thomas said she saw a puffer fish. “This is my fourth or fifth time [attending the camp] because I love exploring the outdoors,” she said. For 15 years, the National Trust camp has been giving young children in Cayman the chance to learn about the environment, culture and heritage. “The National Trust is all about saying what’s special about the Cayman Islands – the places, habitats and indig- enous species found nowhere else but in the Cayman Is- lands,” said Catherine Childs, National Trust camp volunteer. “This morning, we went out in the harbor and the children learned about the shipwrecks, our maritime heritage and the many, many species of fish.” Back at base camp at the National Trust office on South Church Street after lunch, the children partici- pated in arts and crafts ac- tivities by making portholes with an ocean-themed back- ground out of paper plates. Several businesses gave their support to the camp through sponsorship or re- duced costs for trips to some of Cayman’s outdoor at- tractions, including Butter- field Bank, Webster’s Tours, Red Sail Sports and Cayman Sea Elements. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 GRAND CAYMAN MARRIOTT BEACH RESORT WWW.ARMOUREXPO.COM CALL 946 3673 INFO@ARMOUREXPO.COM 12+ VENDORS ARMOUR EXPO 2018 FinTech Awareness for CEO's, Financial Services, Risk, Executives, Information Managers, Legal, and IT Consultants from Offshore, around the Caribbean & Latin America. Work begins on Elgin Avenue extension, new roundabout The National Roads Au- thority has begun con- struction on an extension to Elgin Avenue, which will include the addition of a new roundabout. According to the NRA, the construction will ex- tend east of Elgin Avenue from the Cayman National Bank roundabout by Mid- town Plaza, connecting to a new two-lane roundabout, with exits to Printer Way and Crewe Road. The roundabout will be built at the bend in Crewe Road at the end of the airport runway. When construction is complete, motorists will not be able to access Printer Way via Thomas Russell Avenue, the roads authority advised. Construction of the road extension is expected to last about four months. “During the construction period drivers are asked to keep watch for traffic diver- sions and asked to drive with caution,” the NRA stated in a press release. This map supplied by the National Roads Authority shows the layout of the new Elgin Avenue extension and associated roundabout. Animal cruelty case results in conditional discharge SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A West Bay man was sen- tenced to a conditional dis- charge Monday for a pair of animal cruelty charges stem- ming from an incident in which a dog suffered chem- ical burns last August. Desland St. Aubyn Bailey had pleaded guilty to a pair of cruelty charges for admin- istering Pine-Sol to his dog Rufus and for failing to seek medical attention in a timely manner. The dog suffered second degree burns and was treated at Island Veterinary Services and subsequently surrendered to the Cayman Islands Humane Society. Mr. Bailey’s discharge is dependent on him not re-offending over the next 12 months. The court heard that Mr. Bailey was attempting to treat a dog bite on Rufus’s back when he administered the Pine-Sol. On prior court appearances, it was said that he had been trying to treat an external parasite. Crown counsel Emma Hutchinson asked Magistrate Grace Donalds to issue an order prohibiting Mr. Bailey from owning another pet, but the magistrate did not issue that directive. The social inquiry report penned for Mr. Bailey sug- gested that no conviction be recorded, and Magistrate Donalds subsequently or- dered that to be the case. A Cayman Compass review of Department of Agriculture records found that Mr. Bailey’s animal cruelty case was the only one of 105 investigations by the DoA in 2016 and 2017 that resulted in prosecution. Mr. Bailey was also sen- tenced Monday for a sepa- rate incident in which he had failed to control his dog. His dog bit a passerby in that in- cident, and Mr. Bailey was or- dered to pay $1,000 in com- pensation for the victim’s medical bills and for four lost days of employment due to the injury. Mr. Bailey has three months to pay that order, and if he does not, he will be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Mr. Bailey will also have no conviction recorded for failing to control his dog if he does not commit any other offenses over the next 12 months. Campers explore life underwater Campers get ready to board the Nautilus and spend a day exploring under the sea. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY “Staying at home in the summer can be really boring, but when you have other kids to play with and learning about the environment at the same time, it’s pretty cool.” BRIANNA EBANKS, camperThe 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. TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, JULY 24 SHARK NIGHT: See the movie “Shark Tale” and hear about sharks from Shark Conservation Cayman. South Sound Community Centre. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free admission. Refreshments provided, but bring your own cup. THURSDAY, JULY 26 BRAC COURT: 10 a.m. Aston Rutty Centre. NORTH SIDE MEETING: The RCIPS, along with the North Side District Council, will hold a District Community Meeting at 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 U.S. motivational speaker Rich Barnes to Cayman Brac in September. For more information, 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. BRAC FISH FRY: Organized by Spot Bay Committee. $10 for fish, fritters and swanky. 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 Tuesdays and Thursdays, 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. to 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 TRADITIONAL CAYMAN COOKING: Wednesdays and Fridays, 2-4 p.m. until Aug. 31. Ages 7-12. $15 per class. Contact the National Trust. 749-1121. 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. For more information, 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. The Brac Community Theatre will be putting on a show starring Quincy & Friends at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre on Saturday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 about $1 million each, ac- cording to the budget fig- ures, which are in OfReg’s 2018 annual plan. According to OfReg, it was assumed at the time that its budget would in- clude funding provided via the territory’s water and fuel regulators. But that was not sorted out for 2017, con- tributing to OfReg’s oper- ating deficit. OfReg told the Compass on Monday that funding from the fuels sector is now in place, and arrange- ments for revenue from the water sector are still being discussed in Cabinet. OfReg has also planned to increase its revenue by implementing a number of fee increases across the sectors it regulates, in- cluding the removal of the $600,000 cap charged to telecommunications com- panies based on their rev- enues, and the introduc- tion of a “registration fee” regime in the fuels sector. OfReg said on Monday that the changes to the fee structures are “in development.” By the end of the year, OfReg plans to be self-suf- ficient and will not require revenue from central gov- ernment, according to a press release sent to the Compass on Monday from OfReg’s public relations firm Fountainhead. “It is common practice for Government to provide initial funding to get regu- latory bodies organised and functioning efficiently so that they can become self- sustaining. This means cov- ering initial staffing costs, training and development and other operational costs such as office rental and equipment,” OfReg CEO J. Paul Morgan stated in the press release. “Although OfReg ran a loss in its first year of operation because it did not receive this initial funding, the ICT and elec- tricity sectors are already self-sustaining, proving that the model does work as the regulator ramps up its ac- tivities in providing the consumer protection ser- vices which it is mandated to provide without being a drain on the public purse.” OfReg’s 2018 budget is larger than last year’s In another case, a man was caught stuffing someone’s bag into his own bag. And this weekend on Seven Mile Beach, off Boggy Sand Road, a paddleboarder spotted someone searching their bags while they were out on the water. They took pictures of the would-be thief with a GoPro camera and have handed them over to the police. Nothing was stolen on that occasion, according to Morne Botes, who owns sev- eral holiday rental properties in the area. He said two of his guests were targeted on the beach the previous weekend and had their phones stolen. He said the thief had ap- proached two girls while they were paddleboarding and then chatted with their father on the beach, making restau- rant recommendations. “It seemed like a good ex- ample of CaymanKind until they realized he had stolen their phones,” he said. Mr. Botes is part of a group set- ting up a neighborhood watch in the Boggy Sand area. He said: “It seems like they are targeting people while they are in the water paddle- boarding because they know they can’t get back to shore very quickly.” He believes there needs to be more warnings for tourists not to leave valuables on the beach, potentially including signage and lockers in some locations to allow swimmers to safeguard their belongings when they go in the ocean. One reader wrote to the Compass claiming he was ap- proached on Cemetery Beach by a man who advised him to “swim out further” be- cause there was lots of “pretty coral” to see. He said he was suspicious of the man and ignored his advice. He later saw him chat- ting with another couple and then stealing from their bag after they went in the water. He said he chased the man and retrieved their keys be- fore the would-be thief es- caped on a bike. Police are advising beach- goers to leave their valuables out of sight in locked vehicles, to leave someone on the beach to protect their belongings, or to swim with a waterproof pouch for valuables. Jim Mauer, manager of the Westin, said the incident on the hotel’s beach was being treated as a one-off. He said his security team had acted swiftly and caught the thieves in the act before they had a chance to steal from anyone. “We don’t see this as a big issue for us,” Mr. Mauer said. “This is the first time this year we have had an incident like this and we pride ourselves on making sure our guests are safe and secure.” spent a total of $2.1 million on maintenance for the air- craft – averaging just more than $425,000 per year. The total aerial patrols budget for the helicopter unit during 2018 is stated as $1.6 million in government re- cords. That includes every- thing government expects to pay for the operation of the Air Support Unit, including staffing costs, fuel, mainte- nance, insurance, hangar fees and all other related items. Air unit supervisor Steve Fitzgerald clarified those are “budgeted” costs, which can come in lower or higher de- pending on what occurs during the course of the financial year. Those expenses are sig- nificantly less than what it would cost to replace the he- licopter unit, but the RCIPS acknowledges replacement of the aging Eurocopter will be required eventually. It’s a question of when it happens and how much the govern- ment wants to spend. “Despite its performance in the Turks and Caicos Is- lands after Hurricane Irma, the current helicopter has a limited search and rescue ca- pacity,” Mr. Byrne said. “Ex- panding this capacity has been identified as a require- ment to complement the Cayman Islands coast guard and the Airbus 145 may be a more suitable model in this regard.” The estimated cost of a new Airbus 145 model heli- copter is between US$8 mil- lion to US$10 million (CI$6.56 million to CI$8.2 million). In 2007, when the Euro- copter 135 model was pur- chased previously owned from Thames Valley po- lice in the U.K., the cost was CI$1.8 million. The Airbus can be used as an “air ambulance” and can carry up to eight people on board. It also has a rescue winch that can be used to lift people out of an area during emergency situations. Al- though the Eurocopter model has been used as a med- ical transport at times, it is not specifically designed for that use. Replacement of such a ve- hicle is not like purchasing a car, police note. Helicopter manufacturers typically have client orders backed up for some time. “Delivery of the helicopter can take up to two years from the placing of a con- tract,” Mr. Byrne said. Commissioner Byrne said that during its eight years in service in Cayman, the heli- copter has shown its useful- ness time and again. “It has … proven its ne- cessity to the execution of RCIPS core policing func- tions, including traffic man- agement, police pursuits and crime operations,” Mr. Byrne said. “The modernization and strengthening of policing on the Cayman Islands, as well as our border security going forward, will clearly mean continued expansion in air operations.” Police consider replacing aging helicopter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Beach thefts an ‘affront’ to tourism industry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 An example of the Airbus helicopter model being considered by the RCIPS. HUNDREDS FLEE AS FOREST FIRES RAGE ON EITHER SIDE OF ATHENS ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Two major forest fires raged out of control on either side of Greece’s capital Monday, burning houses, prompting residents to flee and turning the sky over Athens a hazy orange from the smoke. Regional authorities declared a state of emer- gency in the western and eastern parts of Attica, the greater Athens area, as coast guard boats headed out to rescue dozens of people trapped on beaches by the flames. Several other fires broke out across the country, in- cluding in northeastern Greece and the southern island of Crete, stretching Greece’s firefighting capa- bilities. Gale force winds that frequently changed direction were hampering firefighting efforts. Fire Service spokes- woman Stavroula Malliri said Greece had called on the European Union for assistance with aerial and ground support in helping battle the flames. Health ministry and police authorities said at least nine people were hospitalized from injuries in the fires, with three re- ported in serious condition in intensive care. Three major hospitals in the city were on standby in case of more fire victims. “We are doing every- thing humanly possible to tray and tackle these fires,” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in Bosnia as he cut short a visit there and returned to Athens. “What concerns us is that there are fires occurring simultaneously.” The first major fire broke out in a pine forest near the seaside settle- ment of Kineta 30 miles west of Athens between the capital and Corinth. At least 220 firefighters were on the scene while five water-dropping planes and seven helicopters helped to fight the blaze from the air. Reinforce- ments were being sent in from across Greece. The second broke out Monday afternoon in the Penteli and Rafina areas northeast of Athens. Local authorities said children’s summer camps and a sea- side resort for military officers were evacuated, while dozens of homes and cars were reportedly destroyed. At least three aircraft and a helicopter were battling the flames, along with more than 60 firefighters. Police are warning beachgoers not to take valuables to the beach with them following a series of thefts at several public beaches on Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Members of the RCIPS helicopter crew pose with Turks and Caicos officials shortly before flying back to Grand Cayman on Sept. 15, 2017, after providing relief and assistance after 2017’s Hurricane Irma. - PHOTO: RCIPSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 China looks at Euro, Korean steel imports China launched a trade investigation Monday of steel from Europe and South Korea, potentially complicating efforts to recruit them as allies in its tariff dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump. The Commerce Ministry said it will look improperly low stainless steel prices. TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS White House blames Iran for war of words with Trump UK top diplomat warns no Brexit deal ‘now a very real risk’ BERLIN (AP) – Britain’s top diplomat warned Monday that the country could crash out of the European Union next year without an agree- ment on future relations with Brussels because of the hard line taken by EU negotiators. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters in Berlin after meeting German coun- terpart Heiko Maas that “there is now a very real risk of a Brexit no deal by accident.” “This is because I think that many people in the EU are thinking they just have to wait long enough and Britain will blink,” he said. “And that’s not going to happen.” Big differences remain be- tween Brussels and London over the terms of a new trade setup and the issue of how to regulate the U.K.’s only land border with the EU, between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. A substantial number of lawmakers in British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Con- servative Party party favor a complete break with the EU – a so-called “hard” Brexit – rather than the “soft” option proposed by May, which calls for a “common rule book” with European nations that would govern trade in goods. Hunt, on his first bilat- eral visit since coming to of- fice, said “Germany is not just one of Britain’s best friends in Europe but one of our best friends in the world.” He insisted that the trip to Berlin “is not about a charm offensive.” Still, London ap- pears to want to win over the leaders of Europe’s big- gest economy to put pressure on EU negotiators to avoid a messy split. “Without a real change of approach from the EU ne- gotiators we do now face a real risk of no deal by ac- cident. And that will be in- credibly challenging ec- onomically,” said Hunt. “Britain will find that challenging but in the end we will find a way not just to survive but to thrive econom- ically,” he said. “But my real concern is that it will change British public attitudes to Europe for a generation.” Maas said his country “doesn’t want a disorderly Brexit. We want a deal.” But he acknowledged that on the Irish border issue, at least, “further talks will be necessary to reach prac- tical solutions.” Maas declined to com- ment on the threat from Britain’s lead negotiator on Brexit that London might not pay its 39 billion pound (US$51 billion) divorce bill if no trade agreement with the EU is reached. The EU parliament as well as national parliaments of EU nations and Britain need to ratify a deal before the U.K. leaves in March. WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House on Monday blamed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for inciting a war of words with President Donald Trump, who warned that verbal threats could es- calate into military conflict with the U.S. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to bring a more hawkish approach to Iran, sent an all-caps tweet late Sunday warning of dire conse- quences for the longtime foe. “NEVER EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CON- SEQUENCES THE LIKE OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUF- FERED BEFORE,” he wrote. Trump was responding to Rouhani, who had remarked earlier in the day that “America must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” Within hours, Iran’s state- owned news agency IRNA dismissed the tweet, de- scribing it as a “passive re- action” to Rouhani’s remarks. On Monday, the White House said Trump’s tweet shows he is not going to tolerate crit- ical rhetoric from Iran and in- sisted the U.S. leader is not es- calating tensions between the two countries. “If anybody’s inciting any- thing, look no further than to Iran,” press secretary Sarah Sanders said and added that Trump has been “very clear about what he’s not going to allow to take place.” In Tehran, a headline on a local newspaper quoted Rou- hani as saying: “Mr. Trump, do not play with the lion’s tail.” Prominent Iranian ana- lyst Seed Leilaz downplayed the war of words, saying he thinks it was “the storm be- fore the calm.” Leilaz told The Associ- ated Press he was not “wor- ried about the remarks and tweets,” and that “neither Iran, nor any other country is inter- ested in escalating tensions in the region.” Citing harsh words the United States and North Korea had exchanged be- fore the high-profile summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Leilaz said Trump and Kim got “closer” despite the warring words. Trump’s eruption on Twitter came after a week of heavy controversy about Rus- sian meddling in the U.S. 2016 election, following the Hel- sinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The tweet was reverber- ating across the Mideast. Is- raeli Prime Minister Ben- jamin Netanyahu praised the U.S. president’s “strong stance” after years in which the Ira- nian “regime was pampered by world powers.” Trump earlier this year pulled the U.S. out of the inter- national deal meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nu- clear weapon and ordered in- creased American sanctions, as well as threatening penal- ties for companies from other countries that continue to do business with Iran. With the economic pres- sure, Trump said earlier this month that “at a certain point they’re going to call me and say ‘let’s make a deal,’ and we’ll make a deal.” Iran has rejected talks with the U.S., and Rouhani has ac- cused the U.S. of stoking an “economic war.” Rouhani also suggested Iran could immediately ramp up its production of uranium in response to U.S. pressure. Potentially that would esca- late the very situation the nu- clear deal sought to avoid – an Iran with a stockpile of enriched uranium that could lead to making atomic bombs. Trump’s tweet suggested he has little patience with the trading of hostile messages with Iran, using exceptionally strong language and writing the all-capitalized tweet. “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DE- MENTED WORDS OF VIO- LENCE & DEATH. BE CAU- TIOUS!,” he wrote. Trump has a history of firing off heated tweets that seem to quickly escalate long-standing disputes with leaders of nations at odds with the U.S. In the case of North Korea, the public war of words cooled quickly and gradu- ally led to the high profile summit and denuclearization talks. There has been little tangible progress in a global push to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons program since the historic Trump-Kim summit on June 12. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Pyongyang for follow-up talks earlier this month, but the two sides showed conflicting accounts of the talks. North’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of making “gangster- like” demands for its unilat- eral disarmament. Some experts say Kim is using diplomacy as a way to win outside concessions and weaken U.S.-led interna- tional sanctions. Many in Iran have ex- pressed frustration that Trump has seemed willing to engage with North Korea, which has openly boasted of producing nuclear weapons, but not Iran, which signed the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Since Trump pulled out of the deal, other nations in- volved – Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China as well as the European Union – have reaffirmed their sup- port for the deal and have been working to try and keep Iran on board. “Iran is angry since Trump responded to Teh- ran’s engagement diplomacy by pulling the U.S. out of the nuclear deal,” Iranian law- maker Heshmatollah Falahat- pisheh told the AP. He added, however, the war of words between the two presidents was to be ex- pected, since official dip- lomatic relations between the two countries have been frozen for decades. “They express themselves through speeches since dip- lomatic channels are closed,” said Falahatpisheh who heads the influential parliamentary committee on national secu- rity and foreign policy. On Sunday in California, Pompeo was strongly critical of Iran, calling its religious leaders “hypocritical holy men” who amassed vast sums of wealth while allowing their people to suffer. In the speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Pompeo cas- tigated Iran’s political, judi- cial and military leaders, ac- cusing several by name of participating in widespread corruption. He also said the government has “heartlessly repressed its own people’s human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms.” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, right, and his counterpart from Britain Jeremy Hunt, left, brief the media after a meeting Monday at the foreign ministry in Berlin, Germany. – PHOTO: AP Iran President Hassan RouhaniU.S. President Donald Trump9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JULY 24, 2018 G20 nations issue call for more dialog on rising trade tensions BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – The world’s top financial officials called Sunday for more dialog on trade dis- putes that threaten global economic growth, with one warning that differences re- main and tensions could es- calate further. The two-day meeting of fi- nance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 nations came as the United States clashes with China and other nations over trade, with the nations imposing tariffs on billions of dollars of the other’s goods. A final communique said that although the global economy remains strong, growth is becoming “less synchronized” and risks over the short and medium terms have increased. “These include rising fi- nancial vulnerabilities, heightened trade and geo- political tensions, global im- balances, inequality and structurally weak growth, particularly in some ad- vanced economies,” the com- munique said. “We … rec- ognize the need to step up dialogue and actions to mit- igate risks and enhance confidence.” On Friday, President Donald Trump renewed his threat to ultimately slap tar- iffs on a total of $500 bil- lion of imports from China – roughly equal to all the goods Beijing ships annually to the U.S. The White House has also itemized $200 bil- lion of additional Chinese im- ports that it said may be sub- ject to tariffs. The U.S. has also im- posed tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on alu- minum, including from Eu- rope. China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico and Turkey have counterpunched with taxes on U.S. goods. EU tariffs on American prod- ucts include Harley-Da- vidson motorcycles, cranber- ries, peanut butter, playing cards and whiskey. EU financial affairs com- missioner Pierre Moscovici warned that such disputes are a threat. “Protectionism, I want to insist on that, is good for no one,” Moscovici told re- porters. “Trade wars are not easy … they create no win- ners, only casualties.” U.S. Treasury Secre- tary Steven Mnuchin dis- puted that protectionism is the issue. “People are trying to make this about the United States and protectionism. That’s not the case at all,” he said at a news conference. “This is about the United States wanting fair and free trade …. We very much support the idea that trade is important for the global economy, but it’s got to be on fair and re- ciprocal terms.” Mnuchin said there had been no “substantive dis- cussions” with China about trade during the meeting. Asked what it would take to restart talks with the Asian giant, he said, “Anytime that they want to sit down and negotiate meaningful changes, I and our team are available.” As the gathering wound up, Moscovici said differ- ences of position remain despite talks. “These meetings have been taking place in an in- ternational context which is very challenging …. Trade tensions remain high and they threaten to escalate fur- ther,” he said. Christine Lagarde, man- aging director of the Inter- national Monetary Fund, has warned that a wave of tar- iffs could significantly harm the global economy, lowering growth by about 0.5 percent “in the worst-case scenario.” Mnuchin disagreed Sunday, saying that overall, the U.S. economy has not been harmed by the trade battles set off by Trump’s get-tough policies. He ac- knowledged, however, that some individual sectors have been hurt and said U.S. of- ficials are looking at ways to help them. “We see some micro im- pacts where people, our counterparts, are targeting very, very specific items, in very specific communities,” he said. “But from a macro standpoint, we do not yet see any significant impact on the economy.” So far, global markets have remained generally calm despite the U.S.-China trade war and the other trade conflicts. Protesters hold signs that read in Spanish: ‘Out IMF and No to the payment of the debt,’ during a demonstration Saturday against the IMF near the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina. – PHOTO: AP 2 dead, 13 wounded in shooting attack in Toronto TORONTO (AP) – A man walking along a Toronto street fired a handgun into restau- rants and cafes, killing two people and wounding 13 others before dying after an ex- change of gunfire with police. Police Chief Mark Saunders did not rule out terrorism as a motive in the attack Sunday night in Toronto’s lively Greek- town neighborhood, though officials did not immediately identify the assailant other than to say he was 29 years old and from Toronto. The mass shooting, just three months after the driver of a van plowed into pedes- trians on a Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 people, shook the confidence of many in this normally safe city. “It’s almost inconceiv- able that these things can happen,” said Mayor John Tory. “We were so used to living in a city where these things didn’t happen and as we saw them going on in the world around us (we) thought they couldn’t happen here.” “This is an attack against innocent families and our entire city.” The dead included a 10-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman, Saun- ders told a news conference on Monday. The 13 wounded ranged in age from 10 to 59, and suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor, he said. He did not name the victims. Dr. Najma Ahmed of St. Michael’s Hospital said five patients had been admitted in serious or critical condi- tion and that three of the five underwent immediate life- saving operations. A video taken by a wit- ness showed a man dressed in black clothes and a black hat walking quickly and firing three shots from the sidewalk into at least one shop or restaurant in Toron- to’s Greektown, a residential area crowded with Greek res- taurants and cafes. Witnesses heard many shots and described the sus- pect walking past restau- rants and cafes and patios on both sides of the street and firing into them. Ontario’s police watchdog said there was an ex- change of gunfire between the assailant and two offi- cers on a side street but the gunman was found dead near Danforth Avenue where the shootings occurred. It was not immediately clear whether he killed himself or was killed by police. A spokeswoman for the Special Investigations Unit, Monica Hudon, would not say whether the gunman was shot dead by police and said his identity was still being confirmed. She said an autopsy would be per- formed Tuesday. Toronto police spokes- woman Meaghan Gray said the victims included eight women and girls, and seven men. John Tulloch said he and his brother had just gotten out of their car when he heard about 20 to 30 gunshots. “We just ran. We saw people starting to run so we just ran,” he said. Tanya Wilson was closing her tattoo shop on the street when a mother and her son ran into her store with gun- shot wounds to their legs “They said they were walking and a man told them to get the hell out his way and he just shot them,” Wilson said. Wilson said she tied and elevated their wounds and tried to keep them calm while they waited for paramedics. She locked the door and shut off the lights, not knowing what was happening outside. Jody Steinhauer was cel- ebrating her birthday with family at Christina’s restau- rant on Danforth Avenue when they heard 10 to 15 shots. They ran to the back to the restau- rant and hid under a table. “We heard a woman yell, ‘Help!” My partner went out- side the restaurant and the woman was right there. She had been shot,” she said. Her boyfriend and a doctor who was in the res- taurant attended to the woman who was shot in the thigh. “She was screaming and yelling and in shock. No- body was with her. That was the scary part,” she said. Police, paramedics and other first responders de- scended on the scene, while people, some in their pajamas, emerged from their homes to see what was happening. Toronto Councilor Paula Fletcher told a city council meeting on Monday that the attack was “not gang re- lated” and said the gunman was shooting “indiscrim- inately” into restaurants and into a park. “I know we always say, ‘That can’t happen here,’ when we see those gunmen in the States doing the same thing and it has happened here now,” Fletcher said. Though mass shootings are rare in Canada’s largest city, Toronto police had de- ployed dozens of additional officers over the weekend to deal with a recent rise in gun violence in the city, which has seen 23 gun homicides so far this year, compared to 16 fatal shootings in the first half of 2017. “Why does anyone in this city need to have a gun at all?” Tory said at the council meeting. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the confidence that Toronto is a safe city has been shaken. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that his thoughts were with ev- eryone affected. “The people of Toronto are strong, resilient and brave – and we’ll be there to support you through this difficult time,” Trudeau tweeted. In April, the driver of a van plowed into pedestrians on a Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 people and injuring 14. Au- thorities have not disclosed a motive. But they have said the arrested driver, Alek Minassian, posted a message on social media referencing a misogynistic online commu- nity before the attack. A now-deleted Facebook post indicated anger toward women and saluted Elliot Rodger, a community college student who killed six people and wounded 13 in shooting and stabbing attacks near the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014. “The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will over- throw all the Chads and Stacys!” read the post, using the term incel to refer to “in- voluntarily celibate.” Like- minded people on internet fo- rums sometimes use “Chad” and “Stacy” as dismissive slang for men and women with more robust sex lives. A police officer escorts a civilian away from the scene of a shooting Sunday in Toronto. - PHOTO: APNext >