ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 High of 90 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A CLASSROOM FOR EVERY CHILD IN CAYMAN LOCAL | PAGE 3 AVERAGE PRISONS POPULATION EXCEEDS 217 Gov’t revenues up 44% in decade BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands central government rev- enues have risen by 44 percent in the past 10 years, according to budget records pro- duced by the public sector’s Economics and Statistics Office. Current revenue reported by the govern- ment during the calendar year 2008 stood at $522.2 million, compared to the same figure of $753.2 million for 2017. The revenue figures went up substantially after two significant tax increases on immi- gration permit fees and financial services companies levied in 2010 and again in 2012, following the global market recession. The figures compiled are for the calendar year, rather than the government budget year which previously ran between July and June. Also, the numbers do not include the operation of separate statutory authori- ties and government-owned companies. By comparison during the same period, total government expenses – including cap- ital costs – actually fell. In 2008, central government’s total ex- penditure was $672 million, including $150.6 million in capital spending, mostly associated with the building of new high schools and a new government office building in George Town. In 2017, that figure fell to $645.4 million, including capital spending costs of around $59.4 million – nearly three times lower than they had been in 2008. Overall spending during the period on government employee salaries, supplies, POLICE CHASE LEADS TO DRUG CHARGES JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 24-year-old man arrested after leading police on a high-speed car chase around Grand Cayman Friday has been charged with dangerous driving and numerous drug of- fenses in connection with the incident. At least six police cars and the helicopter were seen pursuing a white BMW in a sus- tained pursuit around Prospect and George Town Friday evening. Darren Goodall appeared in Summary Court Monday and was granted bail pending the next hearing in the case on Aug. 21. He has yet to enter a plea but has been disqualified from driving as an interim measure. Candia James, assistant director of public prosecutions, said Mr. Goodall was observed selling ganja at a “particular location,” which JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A collision between a car and a truck hauling aggregate closed the center of Bodden Town last week for six hours. The accident, along a strip of road near Mostyn’s Gas Station, is emblematic of the ongoing debate about the safety of the narrow road and whether trucks should be using it. “There’s only one word to describe truck drivers along Bodden Town Road – terrible. I predicted the one that happened [Tuesday] when I came out to cut the hedging in front the shop,” said resident Neville McCoy, the owner of a shop on the street. “If you are diving on the road doing your little 25 mph, they come through, blowing for you to speed up. I don’t know how we haven’t had a fatal accident just about every day involving those truck drivers,” Mr. McCoy said. “Instead of Bodden Road, it should be the ‘Bodden Town 500,’ just like the big Indianapolis 500 speedway in the United States, that seems to be the limit.” Mr. McCoy thinks the solution is to have more police surveillance, but he said he seldom sees them, especially not during the times the trucks are passing through the town. “That little stretch of road between Gun Square and Guard House Hill, it should Narrow Bodden Town Road challenges truckers A road crew does emergency repairs on Bodden Town Road last week after a truck and a car collided. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » TRINIDAD BANK MAKES ‘POSSIBLE OFFER’ FOR CAYMAN NATIONAL KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local bank Cayman National Corporation Ltd. announced Monday that it has received a “possible partial offer” from the Republic Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Barbados) Ltd. to buy between 51 percent and 74.99 percent of its issued shares by way of a tender offer to the national bank’s shareholders. According to the announcement, the terms of the possible offer contemplate an indicative price of between US$6 to US$6.75 per Cayman National share, which represents a premium of between US$3 to US$3.75 per Cayman Na- tional share as compared to the closing price of US$3 per Cayman National share on Aug. 3 – this being the last trading date before the date of this announcement. The announcement states that if a de- finitive agreement is entered into, then an offer circular containing further infor- mation, a Cayman National directors’ cir- cular, and a general meeting notice will be PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 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 DARKEST MINDS (PG13) 1:50 I 4:25 I 7:00 I 9:45 MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE FALLOUT (PG13) 12:45 3D I 3:30 VIP I 6:35 I 9:30 3D THE EQUALIZER 2 (R) 12:40 VIP I 3:45 I 9:15 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 (PG) 1:35 I 6:45 TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES (PG) 12:35 I 2:50 I 5:05 I 7:00 INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 4:00 I 9:10 MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN (PG13) 1:10 I 4:10 I 7:25 I 10:00 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: WAR AND PEACE (PG) 7:00 VIP 2 tropical storms gaining force off Mexico’s Pacific coast MEXICO CITY (AP) – Two new tropical storms were strengthening off Mexico on Monday and both were pro- jected to reach hurricane force while marching northwest- ward parallel to the coast, bringing heavy surf. The U.S. National Hur- ricane Center said Tropical Storm John was expected to strengthen rapidly and be- come a hurricane by Monday and a major hurricane by Tuesday. Tropical Storm Ileana also was growing while racing John up the coastline and was forecast to reach hurricane strength later Monday. John was centered about 340 miles southwest of the Mexican port of Manzanillo Monday, with maximum sus- tained winds of 70 mph. It was moving west-northwest at 8 mph. It was forecast to peak as a Category 3 storm before starting to weaken, while staying to the west of the Baja California Peninsula during the week. Closer to shore was Il- eana, which was centered about 245 miles southeast of Manzanillo. It had max- imum sustained winds of 65 mph and was heading north- west at 17 mph. Ileana had a potential to brush Mexico’s southwestern shoulder as a hurricane along the coastal area near Manza- nillo early Tuesday, with the possibility for heavy rains and flash flooding. Authori- ties posted a hurricane watch from Punta San Telmo in Mi- choacan state to Playa Perula in Jalisco state. It was projected to weaken later Tuesday due to its proximity to the larger storm, John. Farther out to sea, a strengthening Hurricane Hector headed for the cen- tral Pacific as a Category 4 storm, with winds of 145 mph, the Center Pacific Hur- ricane Center in Honolulu re- ported. It was centered about 930 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and was moving west at 15 mph. Hector also posed no im- mediate threat to land, but forecasters said people in Hawaii should monitor the storm’s progress as it was projected to pass just south of RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Bra- zil’s health ministry launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Monday to pro- tect children from measles and poliomyelitis. The initiative follows a measles outbreak that has affected more than 1,000 people and killed five chil- dren, coming shortly after the disease was eradicated in 2016. Health officials also worry that polio may return to Latin America’s largest nation. The measles cases are mostly concentrated in northern states of Amazonas and Roraima where thou- sands of Venezuelan refu- gees are crossing the border to flee economic and polit- ical hardships, as well as a failing health system. Many of them are sick and have not been immunized. “If our population in the north, which welcomed such a large group of Venezue- lans, had been vaccinated, we wouldn’t be dealing with an outbreak right now,” said Is- abella Ballalai, president of the Brazilian Society of Im- munization. “We’d be dealing with a minor problem.” That was the case from 2000 to 2013, when most Bra- zilians were protected against the disease, and stopped any imported measles viruses from spreading. But last year, only 70 percent of the popu- lation received both doses of measles vaccinations. In the states with the most critical situation, the Ministry of Health has al- ready been giving out free shots in clinics and home visits since July. Now it wants to go back to full coverage on a national level: The goal is to vaccinate at least 95 percent of chil- dren aged 1 to 5 by the end of the month. The Ministry of Health has been advertising the cam- paign for weeks, and even re- cruited popular children’s en- tertainer Xuxa – known as the “queen of the little ones” in Brazil – to be the celebrity spokesperson. On the first day of the campaign, lines at Rio de Ja- neiro health clinics were rel- atively short. There are only 14 con- firmed measles cases in the region, but some fami- lies ventured into the rain to make sure their children were protected. The 34-year-old teacher Michelle Souza brought her 2-year-old son Morilo to a center in Cidade de Deus in western Rio. “I got really worried be- cause it’s been a while since we heard anything about measles. And now the disease is spreading in some regions,” she told The Associated Press. On the other side of the city, Ednea Fernandes, a 39-year-old seamstress, brought her son to the im- munization clinic in Bota- fogo even though the 5-year- old had already gotten all his shots. “I’ve always careful. But with this measles outbreak on the news, I’ve been especially vigilant,” she said. “They said I could take my son home.” Turnout in the beginning of vaccination campaigns is often low in Brazil, but Bal- lalai hopes that awareness about the outbreak will keep growing, and that families will take their children to get vaccinated. On Aug. 18, the high point of the campaign, more than 36,000 clinics will be open. “In previous cam- paigns, there wasn’t neces- sarily that call to save your child. So people didn’t show up,” she said. “This time we’re calling out: Come save your child. Come save Brazil from measles.” Nicaragua NGO closes offices amid unrest, denounces threats MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) – A rights group that has doc- umented killings during months of political unrest in this Central American nation says it is closing its offices due to threats and harass- ment targeting its staff. The Nicaraguan Pro- Human Rights Association said in a statement late Sat- urday that its facilities have been besieged by “unau- thorized armed groups and threatening phone calls.” It also complained of “il- legal practices of judicial persecution and criminal- ization without legal basis” against its personnel. It did not directly identify those it believes are responsible. The group says gov- ernment security forces and armed, allied civilian groups are responsible for most of the 448 deaths it has documented since the protests began April 19. President Daniel Ortega has denied responsibility and accuses those de- manding he leave office of attempting a coup. The government has ac- knowledged 195 killed in the unrest, while the Orga- nization of American States said Thursday that it has counted 317 deaths. The rights association has been among the most active in calling for an end to the violence and for the release of people arrested. It said the closures are A 3-year-old receives a vaccine against measles Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. – PHOTO: AP A demonstrator fires a homemade mortar during protests in Managua, Nicaragua, on July 26 demanding the resignation of President Daniel Ortega and the release of all political prisoners. – PHOTO: AP Both were projected to reach hurricane force while marching northwestward parallel to the coast, bringing heavy surf. Brazil tackles measles outbreak with vaccination campaign DEVELOPER GIL FREYTAG PASSES AWAY Businessman and devel- oper Gil Freytag passed away in the Cayman Islands on July 10. He was 89. Mr. Freytag, who built the Vista Del Mar residen- tial development on the North Sound, died at his Grand Cayman home. According to a notice pub- lished by his family in Fri- day’s Cayman Compass, he was born on June 10, 1929, in Mexico. He immigrated to the United States where he attended and graduated in 1952 from the Engineering School at the University of Texas in Austin. Mr. Freytag is sur- vived by his three daugh- ters, Maria, Vivian and Pat, as well as his son-in-law Charlie and grandchildren Leanna and Hale. He is pre- deceased by his wife Anne, who died in 2007.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 Eastern Ave, GT Drive-Thru P: 949-7104 WITH FOUR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU www.puritan.kypuritangc@candw.ky Centennial West Bay P: 945-4508 Savannah Countryside P: 946-1884 Elgin Avenue, GT P: 949-2452 FREE PICK-UP AND DELIVERY Call 949-7104 Puritan Cleaners now using the most popular cleaning and eco-friendly solvent. (Excluding wedding gowns) 16% OFF PRE-PAY ORDERS On all men’s & women’s apparel I’ve got some beautiful clothes, I know just where they go. Meet the world with Puritan Cleaners, they are there for you and me, best cleaners you will see. THROUGH THE MONTH OF AUGUST C om e ce leb rate Puritan Cle an er s You Feel Good When You Look Good Rain or Shine Average prisons population exceeds 217 Northward averages 200+ inmates year-round BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com For the last two-and-a- half years, the Cayman Is- lands average adult male and female prison population has hovered between 217 and 218 prisoners – a 17 percent in- crease from earlier years. According to statistics re- leased last week, the com- bined populations of Her Majesty’s Prisons Northward (for adult males) and Fair- banks (for adult females) av- eraged 217 prisoners per day in 2016 and 219 prisoners per day in 2017. For the previous four years, from 2012 to 2015, the prisons’ population averaged 186 prisoners held per day. Northward Prison alone held an average of 204 pris- oners each day since Jan- uary 2016. So far this year, the adult men’s prison num- bers have swelled to the point where overflow inmates are being kept at the Royal Cayman Islands Police jail. Northward’s stated capacity is 213 prisoners. The women’s prison at Fairbanks averaged about 14 prisoners per day since 2016, although, more re- cently, numbers have swelled to between 17 and 18 fe- male detainees. At one stage in 2018, the adult prisons system held more than 250 people in lockup. The yearly figures col- lated by the government mean Northward Prison of- ficers have been managing a near-capacity detention fa- cility continuously for the last 31 months. Part of the reason for the overflowing prisons in recent years may be attributable to a significant change in the law governing the release of pris- oners on license, which re- quires most inmates to serve longer incarceration periods. The Conditional Re- lease Law requires prison inmates who receive sen- tences of more than one year to serve at least 60 per- cent of that time in lockup, after which they may be pa- roled or they may have to re- main in confinement. The de- cision depends on members of the appointed Conditional Release Board. That law came into effect in mid-February 2016. Before that, the former Prisons Law provided that violent criminals, such as robbers, rapists, kidnappers and arsonists, were required to spend five-ninths of their sentence in prison. However, non-violent offenders were often required to serve just one-third of their prison sen- tences before being made eli- gible for release. The Conditional Release Board has agreed to release the vast majority of convicted prisoners after 60 percent of their jail sentences have been served. However, all of those prisoners convicted after Feb. 15, 2016, under the new law will be staying longer in prison than those released under the five-ninths rule (55 percent of sentence) or those released on one-third of time served (33 percent of sentence). The Conditional Release Board reported earlier this year that 84 percent of of- fenders who sought con- ditional release during the current term of their prison sentences were allowed out, while 16 percent of those who applied were denied release. A total of 38 pris- oners were released on li- cense during 2017, the board reported, while seven others who applied were kept in prison. “A prisoner will only be released after he or she is deemed to be a low risk to the safety and welfare of the community,” the report from Conditional Release Board Chairwoman Debra Hum- phreys read. “Just because an offender is eligible for parole, it does not follow that they will be released.” Overcrowding The adult male prison population on Grand Cayman reached critical mass as of June 30, 2018, with 221 people being housed at Northward Prison – a facility with a stated maximum ca- pacity of 213. Since at least March this year, Northward has been steadily sending remand pris- oners to the RCIPS detention center in Fairbanks, George Town. The police detention center is only meant to house criminal suspects that RCIPS officers have arrested, not charged individuals being held in prison awaiting trial. The police have found themselves with up to 11 re- mand prisoners from North- ward at various times, who must be kept apart from anyone officers arrest in connection with day-to- day operations. By Aug. 3, the numbers held in the police jail had re- duced. Police officials said they were averaging two to five remand prisoners from Northward. In addition, by last week, authorities had removed all remaining Cuban migrants from the Immigration De- tention Centre in Fairbanks, making room for Northward inmates, if necessary, to go there. However, some security enhancements at the facility are needed before prisoners can be taken there. Her Majesty’s Prison Northward has held an average of more than 200 prisoners since January 2016. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Images of crabs using plastic and other items as shells are plastered on web- sites throughout the internet, but Jennifer Moseley never saw one in person until she participated in Plastic Free Cayman’s beach cleanup Sat- urday at Beach Bay. There, a hermit crab using what looked to be a plastic cap for a home roamed among piles of sargassum seaweed and other debris. Ms. Moseley said that some people at the cleanup took the crab to a different part of the beach and found it a proper shell. Still, it “was a little disturbing” that plastic is so prevalent that it’s now being used by wild creatures, she said. Along with the plastic- shelled crab, cleaners at Beach Bay also gathered four bags of plastic recycla- bles, two bags of aluminum cans, one bag of glass and two bags of Styrofoam, ac- cording to Ms. Moseley. Beach Bay is usually one of the most polluted areas on Grand Cayman because of tides constantly washing up trash there, but on Sat- urday it was relatively clear due to previous cleanup ef- forts by a nearby develop- ment. But there was still enough litter to keep the roughly 40 volunteers busy, said Ms. Moseley. Plastic Free Cayman typically schedules beach cleanups for the first weekend of each month, and more information can be found on the organization’s Facebook page. Plastic-shelled crab found at beach cleanup A hermit crab using plastic trash as a shell was found at a beach cleanup on Saturday. - PHOTO: JENNIFER MOSELEYThe 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. As our publisher is fond of saying, the surest way to secure a commitment from a visiting job appli- cant is to take them out to Seven Mile Beach … and not utter a single word. Our beautiful beaches, warm weather, and family-friendly culture are our best recruiting tools. And yet, once one goes beyond the initial attrac- tions of Cayman, there are a number of impediments that can stymie even the most enthusiastic of prospec- tive employees. Number one on that list is education. The Education Law (2016) of the Cayman Islands mandates that all children (Caymanian or expatriate) who turn 5 years old by Sept. 1 must attend school until they are 17 or have received a diploma or its equivalent. This presents what is becoming an intractable recruiting dilemma for businesses, namely: 1) Children of expatriate work permit holders are not allowed to attend public schools, and 2) There are virtually no vacancies in Cayman’s private schools. Other possible options are not really options at all – such as homeschooling, hiring private tutors or sending children to boarding schools off-island. As an employer, Pinnacle Media is intimately familiar with this issue. Several superb candidates who would bring significant skills and expertise to our operations cannot accept an offer of employment simply because there is no school (public or private) to educate their children. (For the absence of doubt, overseas candidates for these positions were pursued only after extensive “Caymanians first” recruitment campaigns proved unsuccessful.) In fact, the school dilemma is having a major damp- ening effect on the ability of Cayman’s businesses to recruit mid-career professionals, many of whom are in their “prime childbearing years” and for whom access to excellent, and affordable, primary and secondary education is a top priority. In lieu of employees with families looking to settle down, our expatriate population inevitably will shift toward younger, “more transient” individuals intending to alight in Cayman for a brief stay, as well as workers who are forced to leave children “back home” – where they end up remitting the lion’s share of their paychecks. It is government’s fundamental responsibility to ensure that all children in Cayman have access to a quality education. It is nothing short of irrespon- sible for government to pass a compulsory school attendance law, while effectively denying expatriates entrance to the public education system paid for, in large part, through their taxes and fees. At root, the issue has arisen over decades from the government’s ill-conceived segregation of the public school system, and the subsequent development of and dependence upon private school providers to educate the children of Cayman’s expatriates and well- to-do Caymanians. There is a larger issue. A perusal of recent headlines in this newspaper reveals a too-common theme: Our schools are full, our court dockets are full, our prison is full, our landfill is full, our yet-to-be-completed new airport is already full (during peak travel periods), and we will not even begin on our overcrowded roadways. Not all of this – but far too much of it – was fore- seeable by successive governments which largely ignored the obvious. But let us be positive: The challenges these islands will face, going forward, will consist largely of managing our growth – which is another way of saying managing our success. A classroom for every child in Cayman TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The future’s constituency is the conscience of the present “Science, like the Missis- sippi, begins in a tiny rivulet in the distant forest.” – Abraham Flexner WASHINGTON – In 1933, when America’s most famous immigrant settled in Princ- eton, New Jersey, Franklin Roosevelt tried to invite Al- bert Einstein to the White House. Abraham Flexner, the founding director of the In- stitute for Advanced Study that had brought Einstein to Princeton, intercepted FDR’s letter before the intended re- cipient saw it. Flexner de- clined the invitation and re- buked Roosevelt: “Professor Einstein has come to Princ- eton for the purpose of car- rying on his scientific work in seclusion, and it is abso- lutely impossible to make any exception which would inevitably bring him into public notice.” Robbert Di- jkgraaf, the institute’s cur- rent director, says that subse- quently “Einstein made sure he personally answered all of his mail.” Dijkgraaf recounts this episode in a slender volume that, read in the right gov- ernment places, might in- oculate the nation against philistine utilitarianism. In the volume, which re- prints Flexner’s 1939 essay in Harper’s magazine, “The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge,” Dijkgraaf notes that the April 1939 opening of the World’s Fair in New York – Einstein was hon- orary chair of the fair’s sci- ence advisory committee – featured such marvels as an automatic dishwasher, an air conditioner and a fax machine. There was no in- timation of electronic com- puters or nuclear energy. (Four months later, Einstein urgently wrote to Roosevelt about the element uranium being turned into a new and important source of energy, including bombs, which might explain why Ger- many had stopped the sale of uranium from Czechoslo- vakian mines.) Flexner’s theme, says Di- jkgraaf, was the practicality of “unobstructed curiosity” that sails “against the cur- rent of practical consider- ations.” The 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA, which led to the 1970s ar- rival of recombinant DNA technology and to today’s biotech industry and phar- macology, was the result of scientific curiosity “without any thoughts of immediate applications.” Flexner, who died in 1959 at age 92, recalled asking a great philanthro- pist who he considered the world’s “most useful worker in science.” When the phi- lanthropist said “Marconi,” Flexner responded: Radio has enriched human life, but Guglielmo Marconi’s contribution to creating it was “practi- cally negligible.” Marconi was “inevitable” and added only “the last technical de- tail” after the basic sci- ence (concerning magnetism and electromagnetic waves) by Heinrich Hertz, James Clerk Maxwell and others. They had no concern what- ever about “the utility of their work” that “was seized upon by a clever techni- cian … Hertz and Max- well were geniuses without thought of use. Marconi was a clever inventor with no thought but use.” It has been said that the great moments in science occur not when a scientist exclaims “Eureka!” but when he or she murmurs “That’s strange.” Flexner thought the most fertile discoveries come from scientists “driven not by the desire to be useful but merely the desire to satisfy their curiosity.” He wanted to banish the word “use” in order to encourage institu- tions of learning to be de- voted more to “the cultiva- tion of curiosity” and less to “considerations of immediacy of application.” It is axiom- atic that knowledge is the only resource that increases when used, and it is a par- adox of prosperity that na- tions only reap practical in- novations from science by regarding them as after- thoughts, coming long after basic science. The practical lesson from Flexner’s hymn to imprac- ticality is this: Indifference to immediate usefulness is a luxury central to the mis- sion of some luxuries of our civilization – the great re- search universities, free from the tyranny of commercial pressures for short-term re- sults. Only government can have the long time horizon required for the basic re- search that produces, in time, innovations that propel economic growth. As 10,000 baby boomers retire each day into the em- brace of the entitlement state, rapid economic growth be- comes more imperative and, because of the increasing weight of the state, more dif- ficult to maintain. Entitle- ment spending and the cost of servicing the surging na- tional debt increasingly crowd out rival claims on scarce public resources, in- cluding those for basic sci- ence. Because it is politically expedient to sacrifice the fu- ture, which does not vote, to the consumption of gov- ernment services by those who do, America is eating its seed corn. The future’s vital, and only, constituency is the con- science of the present. Tes- tifying to Congress in 1969 concerning the possible Cold War utility of a partic- ular particle accelerator, the physicist Robert Wilson said: “This new knowledge has all to do with honor and country, but it has nothing to do di- rectly with defending our country, except to help make it worth defending.” George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL Because it is politically expedient to sacrifice the future, which does not vote, to the consumption of government services by those who do, America is eating its seed corn. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 Turtle Centre nests wowing observers MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Squeals of “Oh my gosh!” and “They’re so cute!” greeted a cluster of baby turtles emerging from a nest on Gov- ernors Beach Friday evening. After hours of watching, a group of about 30 people was rewarded by the sight of a single baby turtle pop- ping its head above the sand and furiously pushing it- self free. Within seconds, the sand was alive with the wiggling bodies and tiny flailing flippers of the nest’s other babies, all of which quickly determined which direction the water was and headed to the surf. The “show” was over in a matter of a few minutes. The excitement among the observers lasted consid- erably longer. The event is expected to be repeated soon at a site on West Bay Public Beach, where there is a similar nest. The nests are not natural, however. They are part of a project by the Cayman Turtle Centre, which is placing some of the eggs from its breeding program in underground nests so the hatchlings can immediately go to sea. This is the third year for the nests, said Tim Adam, managing di- rector of the center. “We’re aiming to have a total of 500 turtles released in 2018,” Mr. Adam said, noting that the center also releases young turtles it has raised to between the ages of 1 and 2½ years. The intent, he said, is to have half the tur- tles released as hatchlings and half as young turtles. Other nests, besides the one in West Bay, are expected to produce hatchlings in the coming weeks, including ones near the Caribbean Club, the WaterColours and pos- sibly Spotts Beach. Two nests planted earlier in the season have already hatched. So far, the center has counted 81 hatchlings that have made it to the water. Turtle eggs typically hatch after about 60 days. It takes up to a week for the hatch- lings to then make their way to the surface of the sand. The nests are about three feet beneath the surface and the eggs are planted a few days before they are ex- pected to hatch. At each site, the center has set up a small shelter for the nest watchers who are on- site around the clock to mon- itor progress and make sure the nest is not disturbed. In- formational material about turtles is also on display. Mr. Adam said more than 200 adult turtles nest on Grand Cayman each year. The center is working to in- crease those numbers by in- troducing more turtles into the population, he said. Mr. Adam’s brother Billy was also at the emergence on Friday night. He said having more people aware and inter- ested in the turtle activity is good for tourism. “You see 4-year-old kids sitting down there and watching the sand and they’re just mesmerized,” Billy Adam said. “They see a movement and they’re so ex- cited. And when they get to watch them come out, they’ll never forget it. “They’ll want to come back to Cayman,” he said, for the same reason he continues to go out to watch the hatch- lings scrabble to the sur- face and scramble to the sea. “It’s pure magic.” Those interested in seeing a nest hatch can check with the on-site nest watcher, who can also provide information on a WhatsApp alert list. Within seconds, the sand was alive with the wiggling bodies and tiny flailing flippers of the nest’s other babies, all of which quickly determined which direction the water was and headed to the surf. Nest watcher Phil Sciamonte, second from left, tells beachgoers about a turtle nest on Governors Beach planted by the Cayman Turtle Centre. A small hole appeared in the sand late Friday afternoon above the nest and later that evening, hatchlings emerged and dashed to the sea. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Fishermen forgot bait, court hears Defendants deny knowledge of firearms found near ‘shoe tree’ CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men seen aboard a boat in South Sound last year have denied any knowl- edge of two handguns found in the roots of what is known as the “shoe tree” or “flip-flop tree along the South Sound shore. Gerald Jaleel Bush, 21, and Rico Roy Walton, 29, have pleaded not guilty to possession of the unlicensed firearms, recovered by police in South Sound shortly after midnight on June 25, 2017. Last week, jurors heard and saw evidence of a boat coming into the South Sound channel and the route it took, via footage from the police helicopter. They also heard the defendants’ interviews with police shortly after the incident. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran closed the case for the pros- ecution on Friday. Defendant Mr. Bush is named first on the indict- ment and he elected to give evidence. He said he and Mr. Walton had gone fishing about twice a week for about a year. On the night of June 24, they launched their boat in South Sound and went to the area off Pedro Castle. When they arrived, they realized they had for- gotten their bait. They decided to make their way back in. He agreed that the boat seen in the he- licopter footage was their boat and he was in it. He said he got off the boat in the area of Old Crewe Road because he was going to walk to the nearby gas sta- tion and buy bait. Then he realized he did not have his wallet. He phoned Mr. Walton to ask if his wallet was in the boat and Mr. Walton said no, but his truck keys were. That was why he was walking toward the South Sound dock and not the gas station when police saw him, he explained. On Monday, Mr. Bush told the court he had pictures of guns on his iPhone because he had researched them for a military computer game he plays, called “Call to Duty.” He said there was a conver- sation on the phone with a friend from Jamaica because they were planning a boat party to make money. Mr. Bush was sched- uled to be questioned by Mr. Moran after the lunch adjournment. In Mr. Walton’s interview with police, he said he let his friend off the boat to go to the gas station. He said he was then going back to the South Sound dock to look in the truck. He denied getting out of the boat at the “flip- flop tree” and said he never came to land before docking. He said he had never been to that tree and had no reason to go there, although he driven past it. He said he had no knowledge of the guns, but maybe some other activity had gone on. Asked if he or Mr. Bush had imported the guns, he said no. VISITOR ARRESTED WITH CASH IN UNDERWEAR JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Colombian visitor was arrested at the airport Friday attempting to leave Grand Cayman with $9,500 cash stashed in a bag concealed in her underwear. Enith Vasco-Pineda ap- peared in Summary Court Monday charged with money laundering offenses in con- nection with the find. Candia James, deputy director of public prose- cutions, said officers had seized the cash and ob- tained a warrant to search an address in Bodden Town where Ms. Vasco- Pineda had been staying with her sister. Officers recovered ganja and drug paraphernalia, including scales, from the address. Separate charges against the defendant’s sister and her husband, who own the property, are pending, ac- cording to Ms. James. Ms. Vasco-Pineda was charged with possession of criminal property, concealing criminal property and re- moving criminal property from the island. She arrived in Cayman from Cartagena, Colombia on a single entry tourist visa on July 18. The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday to determine if she can be granted bail. On Monday, Mr. Bush told the court he had pictures of guns on his iPhone because he had researched them for a military computer game he plays, called “Call to Duty.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • The Board of Cayman National has received an unsolicited proposal from RBTTBL (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited) to acquire a minimum of 51% and up to 74.99% of the issued shares of Cayman National by way of a tender offer to Cayman National shareholders • If a Definitive Agreement is entered into, an Offer Circular containing further information on the Possible Offer, a Cayman National Directors’ Circular pursuant to the Offer Circular and a Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting will be distributed to Cayman National shareholders • Cayman National shareholders are advised to exercise caution in dealing with their shares and to take no action at this time in connection with the Possible Offer George Town, Cayman Islands: The Board of Cayman National (CSX:CNC) KY has received an unsolicited proposal from RBTTBL to acquire a minimum of 51% and up to 74.99% of the ordinary shares of Cayman National by way of a tender offer to Cayman National shareholders (the Possible Offer). The terms of the Possible Offer contemplate an indicative price of between US$6.00 to US$6.75 per Cayman National share which represents a premium of between US$3.00 to US$3.75 per Cayman National share as compared to the closing price of US$3.00 per Cayman National share on 3 August 2018 (being the last trading date before the date of the announcement of the Possible Offer on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange). The Board of Cayman National notes that there is no certainty that the Possible Offer will be made to Cayman National shareholders. The Possible Offer remains subject to several conditions, including (among others): • completion of due diligence by RBTTBL; • final approval by the Board of RBTTBL; • recommendation by the Board of CNC for the Possible Offer; and • execution of satisfactory definitive documentation customary for a transaction of this nature (the Definitive Agreement). Even if the Possible Offer is made to Cayman National shareholders, the consummation of the transaction pursuant to the terms of the Definitive Agreement shall be subject to further conditions including, without limitation, a 51% minimum acceptance level and receipt of necessary government, regulatory and shareholder approvals. Ernst & Young, being the external auditor of RBTTBL and Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL), has provided confirmation that sufficient financial resources are available to RFHL to satisfy the total consideration payable by RBTTBL upon full acceptance of the Possible Offer. The Board of Cayman National has determined that it is in the interests of Cayman National’s shareholders to engage with RBTTBL in connection with the Possible Offer, and the directors are considering their response to the Possible Offer. If a Definitive Agreement is entered into, further announcement will be made and an Offer Circular containing additional information on the Possible Offer and Definitive Agreement, Cayman National Directors’ Circular pursuant to the Offer Circular and a Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting will be distributed to Cayman National shareholders. Cayman National shareholders are advised to TAKE NO ACTION in relation to the Possible Offer until further announcement is made and formal documentation is distributed. Cayman National will keep shareholders fully informed of any further material developments and a further announcement will be made as appropriate. This announcement has been made with the consent of RBTTBL. RBTTBL does not currently hold any shares in Cayman National (i) which RBTTBL owns or over which it has control, (ii) which is owned or controlled by any person acting in concert with RBTTBL or in which respect of which RBTTBL has received an irrevocable commitment to accept the Possible Offer, (iii) in respect of which RBTTBL holds an option to purchase, and (iv) in respect of which any person acting in concert with RBTTBL holds an offer to purchase. No arrangement exists with RBTTBL, with Cayman National or with any person acting in concert with RBTTBL or Cayman National in relation to relevant shares. Deloitte is acting as independent financial advisor, and Ogier is acting as legal advisor, to Cayman National in connection with the Possible Offer. Walkers is acting as legal advisor to RBTTBL in connection with the Possible Offer. This announcement is made pursuant to the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange Code on Takeovers and Mergers and Rules Governing Substantial Acquisitions of Shares. IMPORTANT NOTICES: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT INTENDED TO, AND DOES NOT, CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER, INVITATION OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE, SUBSCRIBE FOR, SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF, ANY SHARES WHETHER PURSUANT TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR OTHERWISE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A PROSPECTUS OR PROSPECTUS EQUIVALENT DOCUMENT. CAYMAN NATIONAL SHAREHOLDERS SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY INVESTMENT DECISION IN RELATION TO THE POSSIBLE OFFER EXCEPT ON THE BASIS OF THE FORMAL DOCUMENTATION ONCE IT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED. NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. Forward looking statements: This announcement may contain certain “forward looking statements”. The forward looking statements contained in this announcement include statements relating to RBTTBL’s proposal to the Board of Cayman National, and other statements other than historical facts. Forward looking statements often use words such as “believe”, “expect”, “estimate”, “intend”, “anticipate” and words of a similar meaning. Shareholders should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of Cayman National, are subject to risks and uncertainties about Cayman National and are dependent on many factors, some of which are outside of Cayman National’s control. There are important factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different, including that there can be no certainty that the approach in respect of the proposed transaction described in this announcement will result in a formal offer, nor as to the terms on which any such offer may be made. Except as required by law, Cayman National undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Cayman National: Established in 1974, Cayman National is the largest financial services company based in the Cayman Islands, providing banking, trust and company management, fund administration, and wealth management services to clients locally and around the world, from the Cayman Islands, and the Isle of Man, with an office also in Dubai. Cayman National is publicly traded on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange. Cayman National comprises: Cayman National Bank Ltd., Cayman National Fund Services Ltd., Cayman National Securities Ltd., Cayman National Bank (Isle of Man) Limited and Cayman National Trust Company (Isle of Man) Limited, and Cayman National (Dubai) Ltd. About RBTTBL: Established on 23 February 1999, RBTTBL is a licensed offshore international financial business operating pursuant to the International Financial Services Act, CAP. 325 of the Laws of Barbados which primarily conducts investment and investment management services. RBTTBL’s registered office is located at Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited, Independence Square, Bridgetown, Barbados. RBTTBL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited. RBTTBL currently has wholly-owned subsidiary in the Cayman Islands, Republic Bank (Cayman Limited). About Republic Bank (Cayman) Limited: Republic Bank (Cayman) Limited was established on 13 January 1992 and currently holds a Trust License and an Unrestricted Class B Banking License under the Banks and Trust Companies Law of the Cayman Islands, as amended. Republic Bank (Cayman) Limited also holds a Mutual Funds License and is a registered Excluded Person for purposes of the Securities Investment Business Law of the Cayman Islands (SIBL-EP). About RFHL: RFHL is a publicly quoted financial holding company listed on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, licensed under the Financial Institutions Act, Chap 79:09 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago and has over US$10 billion of total assets. RFHL, along with its seventeen (17) subsidiaries and three (3) associated companies, provides a complete range of commercial banking and related services. These include investment banking, mortgage financing, securities trading and related activities, trustee services, credit card operations, foreign exchange and trade finance services as well as deposit taking and lending operations. Through its subsidiaries and associated companies, RFHL has operations domiciled in Barbados, Ghana, Suriname, Grenada, Guyana and St. Lucia in addition to Trinidad and Tobago. Media Contact: Stuart Dack President and CEO, Cayman National Corporation Ltd. Email: stuart.dack@caymannational.com Possible Partial Offer for Cayman National Corporation Ltd. (Cayman National) by Republic Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Barbados) Limited (RBTTBL) 7 August 2018 ADVERTORIALThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 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. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 OCTOBER , The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman www.breastcancerfoundation.ky info@breastcancerfoundation.ky PRINT MEDIA SPONSOR Featuring Special Guest Speaker Shannen D hert THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 7 SELF-HARM PREVENTION: The Ministry of Community Affairs invites the public to a presentation on identifying self-harm and suicidal thoughts. The free presentation, being hosted with the support of the Alex Panton Foundation, will educate parents, residents and the community on how to identify self-harm and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. Attendees will also be advised about how to respond and who to reach out to for help, guidance and support. 6:30–8 p.m. South Sound Community Centre. THURSDAY, AUGUST 9 GEORGE TOWN ROAD CLOSURE: Police advise the public of the following road closures to facilitate the Rumpy Weekend event taking place on Harbour Drive on Friday, Aug. 10. Tonight Harbour Drive will be closed between Shedden Road and the Port Authority Entrance from 6:30 p.m. until setup is complete. FRIDAY, AUGUST 10 GEORGE TOWN ROAD CLOSURE: Police advise the public of the following road closures to facilitate the Rumpy Weekend event taking place on Harbour Drive tonight. Cardinall Avenue and a portion of Albert Panton Street will be closed from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m. Harbour Drive will be closed between Shedden Road and the Port Authority Entrance from 6:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. BRAC DLP: Representatives from the Department of Labour and Pensions will visit Cayman Brac today to assist clients with any issues or disputes. The DLP officials will be available from 9 a.m. to noon, and will reopen 1:30-3 p.m. to further assist clients. The Brac DLP office is located at 256 Creek Road. Appointments can be made by contacting Simone Whittaker at simone.whittaker@gov.ky or 244-4038. SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR: Students from George Town South and George Town West constituencies attending government primary schools are invited to the South Sound Community Centre 4-6 p.m. Activities will include marble games, rope skipping, musical chairs and competitions. Refreshments will be provided. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 SELF-HARM PREVENTION: The Ministry of Community Affairs invites the public to a presentation on identifying self-harm and suicidal thoughts. The free presentation, being hosted with the support of the Alex Panton Foundation, will educate parents, residents and the community on how to identify self-harm and suicidal thoughts/ behaviors. Attendees will also be advised about how to respond and who to reach out to for help, guidance and support. 6:30–8 p.m. John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay. FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 SCHOOL HEALTH SCREENINGS: All students entering government or private schools for the first time are required to have health screenings before the new school year. Today is the last day for screenings at the John Gray High School Medical Centre. Screenings continue at the Public Health Department, Cayman Islands Hospital, Aug. 20-31. Completed forms from private physicians should be submitted to the Public Health Department, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For screenings in Cayman Brac, call the Public Health Nurse on 948-2243. FRIDAY, AUGUST 24 LIQUOR LICENSE HOLDERS: License holders, including those with music and dancing licenses, are reminded that today is the deadline for applications. The Annual Liquor License Meeting is Sept. 13. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29 SELF-HARM PREVENTION: The Ministry of Community Affairs invites the public to a presentation on identifying self-harm and suicidal thoughts. The free presentation, being hosted with the support of the Alex Panton Foundation, will educate parents, residents and the community on how to identify self-harm and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. Attendees will also be advised about how to respond and who to reach out to for help, guidance and support. 7–8:30 p.m. Bodden Town Civic Centre. 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 on 749-1121. BRAC SPORTS: Football, Aug. 5–10, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Cayman Brac Sports Complex. For more information, contact harold. sanford@gov.ky. BRAC YMCA: Summer Camp. $90 per camper, per week. Aug. 13-17, 20-24. Contact ysummercamp@ ymcacayman.ky for more information. KIDSABILITY: A variety of programs for various ages, with activities from school readiness to bike riding. Contact www.kidsability.ky. GENERAL INTEREST COMMERCIAL GARBAGE FEES: The Department of Environmental Health reminds all business operators/owners/strata in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, who pay their fees by biannual installments, that garbage fees are now due for the period ending June 30. Garbage fees are payable by cash, check, debit or credit card. Debit and credit card payment options are only available on Grand Cayman. In Grand Cayman, payments can be made at any of the local post offices or at the DEH main office, located at 580 North Sound Road from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. In the Sister Islands, payments can be made at District Administration. For additional information, contact the DEH at 949-6696 or dehcustomerservice@gov.ky. STUFF THE BUS: School supply drive to benefit students assisted by Department of Children and Family Services, Needs Assessment Unit, Crisis Centre and Boys and Girls Homes. Supplies can be dropped off at donation boxes located at Caribbean Alliance Office at 203 Alissta Towers, Cost- U-Less or Hurley’s Media in Camana Bay or can be handed directly to event organizers and charity group representatives that will be hosting live drive events at various locations on the island on Aug. 4, 11 and 18. For more information or to organize a mini-collection, visit Facebook @StuffTheBusCayman or call Caribbean Alliance on 949-9744. 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. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Government revenues up 44% in decade Police chase leads to drug charges Narrow Bodden Town Road challenges truckers public subsidies and payment of interest on borrowings went up by a total of about 12 percent. However, when declining capital project costs were factored in, total central gov- ernment spending was less for the 2008-2017 period. Budget surplus The higher revenues and lower expenses have led to positive overall earning bal- ances, according to statistics office records, of between $70 million and $140 million each year since 2013. The statistics office fig- ures, which are not the same ones government budget planners use since they are measured from January to December, reported that gov- ernment has collected a posi- tive “overall balance” between 2013 and 2017 of more than $522 million. In the previous five years, between 2008 and 2012, the Cayman government ended with negative overall bal- ances totaling more than $453 million. Part of the budget sur- pluses amassed over the past five years have been used by the government to pay down its debt. In 2008, Cayman’s cen- tral government debt stood at about $355 million, before much of the borrowing done for a raft of public projects, including the schools and the government administra- tion building. The debt figure then reached its peak in 2011 ($613.4 million) before it began declining. By last year, central government debt fell to $449.1 million. Finance Minister Roy Mc- Taggart has said the debt figure is expected to drop even further by next year when government pays about half of a $261 million loan owed by government. A portion of what is owed on the so-called “bullet loan,” about $130 million, will be borrowed. The remainder of government’s debt repayment will be funded out of the cash surplus. “This borrowing will be specifically for this pur- pose and no loan proceeds will be used to finance op- erating activities or capital investments,” Mr. McTag- gart told the Legislative As- sembly last fall. she did not name. She said police had tried to stop and search his ve- hicle and he fled leading to a “long pursuit,” during which he destroyed his own cellphone. When he was eventu- ally apprehended, police found ganja buds, ganja cigarettes, ziplock bags, scales and $606 cash, Ms. James said in her summary of the facts. Mr. Goodall was charged with two counts of dangerous driving, as well as possession of ganja, possession of ganja with intent to supply, failure to comply with po- lice instructions, posses- sion of criminal property, possession of a utensil and possession of a re- stricted weapon. He was granted bail with a nighttime curfew monitored through an electronic tag. According to a police press release Saturday, the suspect was initially spotted behaving suspi- ciously around 9 p.m. at a parking lot on Smith Road. He refused to stop for po- lice and was pursued to Prospect and back to Smith Road. No one was hurt in the incident. never have broken road lines for passing; it should have two solid yellow lines. They overtake four and five cars at one time.” He said the road cannot be widened and Anton Bodden Drive, which by- passes Bodden Town, is in- convenient to truckers be- cause they must stop when they reach the intersec- tion with Shamrock Road to make the right turn to go into George Town. “I even spoke to Minister Dwayne Seymour during his campaign and to politician Robert Bodden concerning trucks traveling through the area … they even sat on my porch and observed it for themselves,” Mr. McCoy said. No one was seriously in- jured in last week’s acci- dent, which led to the road being closed for hours while the heavy-duty truck was re- moved and the marl that had spilled from it onto the road had to be cleared. Grand Cayman’s 313 miles of road supports more than 35,838 registered vehicles, 5,867 of which are trucks, according to Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing Depart- ment statistics. In years gone by, Grand Cayman’s single inter-district roadway included the coastal road along the Bodden Town area. It was developed by widening what were es- sentially donkey trails and walking tracks around homes near the coastline. Govern- ment acquired land from owners to create roads wide enough to facilitate two- way vehicular traffic. How- ever, along some stretches of Bodden Town, homes built right alongside the road meant there was no space for widening. In recent years, negotia- tions had been under way with developers of the Iron- wood project about the funding of a 10-mile exten- sion of the East-West Ar- terial, from Hirst Road to Frank Sound Road, which would provide the island with a modern roadway to the eastern districts, as well as access to the proposed de- velopment. It was suggested this road would be used by truckers. In March 2018, Minister Joey Hew, who is respon- sible for the National Roads Authority, told the Legis- lative Assembly that talks had stalled between govern- ment and the developers. He said the government was “considering all funding op- tions for the road,” and that the Ironwood negotiations were on hold. Concerned residents in Bodden Town are calling on police to address speeding and to ensure that truck drivers cover the backs of their vehicles properly so de- bris does not spill on other vehicles or pedestrians. “Some mornings when I am walking, they cross me doing 50 to 60 miles per hour and most of them do not have running or parking lights,” said resident Crosby Solomon. “It has been a long cry, especially from residents of Bodden Town and other com- munities as well, around the Bodden Town districts about trucks speeding and using ‘Jake brakes,’” said RCIPS Constable Clifford Garcia, who works out of the Bodden Town station. A Jake brake is a braking mechanism installed on some diesel engines. When activated, it opens exhaust valves in the cylinders after the compression cycle, re- leasing the compressed air trapped in the cylinders, and slowing the vehicle. Constable Garcia said the trucks use these to reduce speed and people are con- cerned it might lead to a fatal accident because truckers pass through the district at a very high speeds, are often overloaded, and many times they do not have any cov- ering for the material they are carrying. “Those are some of the concerns that the people have in relations to trucks on the roads,” Officer Garcia said. “Residents would strongly like to see government de- tour trucks along Anton Bodden bypass instead of passing through the Bodden Town district.” Truckers claim many of the accidents and near misses that occur are not all their fault, and Cayman has some very bad drivers. “Motorists often don’t un- derstand how hard it is for truck drivers to slow and stop their rigs as vehicles weave their way through traffic or stop suddenly,” said Ryan Jervis, a 15-year truck driver from Jamaica. “Cars either jump in front of you [and] just slow down, or cut in front of you as you are coming to a stop when they don’t realize how long it takes you to stop the truck,” Mr. Jervis said. “The trucks are loaded with rocks and dirt, and I can tell you it isn’t easy to just stop.” He said drivers some- times pull out from a road or suddenly turn into another, and expect oncoming trucks to just stop. Mr. Jervis compares driving in Cayman to Ja- maica. “In Jamaica, they don’t make it as safe for us truck drivers as they do in the Cayman Islands. I’m used to driving up hills, around corners and through narrow roads; it does not af- fect me one bit once I get to know the truck.” “Cayman is like a walk in the park for me,” he added. Everton Ellis, a 28-year truck driver, sees Bodden Town as one of the most dan- gerous roads for truckers. “We go through hell with motorists every day. I even installed a webcam in my truck to protect myself,” he said. Along Bodden Town’s narrow coastal street, houses protrude out into the road and cement fences are close to the street, so “If there is an emergency, there is no- where to pull off the road,” Mr. Ellis said. He added, “Another issue is people speeding up when they see a truck trying to overtake; they brake to hold us back and then call po- lice on you. Some even give you the finger.” One driver who owns his own truck, who asked to re- main anonymous, said bus drivers are his worst night- mare, stopping without warning or pulling out regard- less of who is behind them. Another trucker Everton Cole also voiced his com- plaints and said he wants the public to be better edu- cated about the proper way to drive around trucks, espe- cially on roundabouts. “I want to warn people around here [that] trucks are nothing to play with. Trucks are dangerous. By the time we swing [the truck], the weight might break the spring, this can end up in a car and kill someone. They blame the truck drivers but sometimes it’s in a difficult area and we cannot help them. It’s worse if [the truck is] loaded.” Truck drivers the Compass spoke to said the three most common types of accidents involving heavy trucks are crashes caused by a truck’s inability to stop in time; a motorist trying to pass a truck on the right while the truck is making a right-hand turn; and a motorist riding in the trucker’s blind spots. Current revenue reported by the government during the calendar year 2008 stood at $522.2 million, compared to the same figure of $753.2 million for 2017. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 distributed to Cayman Na- tional shareholders. The announcement added that the possible offer remains subject to several conditions, in- cluding the completion of due diligence by the Re- public Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Barbados) Ltd. and the final approval by the bank’s board of directors, as well as the execution of satisfactory definitive docu- mentation customary for a transaction of this nature. “Even if the Possible Offer is made to Cayman National shareholders, the consumma- tion of the transaction pur- suant to the terms of the De- finitive Agreement shall be subject to further conditions including, without limitation, a 51% minimum acceptance level and receipt of necessary government, regulatory and shareholder approvals,” the announcement states, adding, “Cayman National share- holders are advised to TAKE NO ACTION in relation to the Possible Offer until fur- ther announcement is made and formal documentation is distributed.” Cayman National CEO Stuart Dack told the Cayman Compass that he is limited in what he can say about the possible transac- tion at this point. “The board of direc- tors of Cayman National Corporation are taking the matter very seriously. We’re working very closely with our professional ad- visors, and we will be making further contact with our shareholders in due course,” said Mr. Dack. “As a public company, our central responsibility is to act in the best interests of our shareholders, but we’re also very conscious of the need to act in the best in- terest, as far as possible, of all our stakeholders.” The Cayman National headquarters in George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Trinidad bank makes ‘possible offer’ for Cayman National CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2018 Italian rescued after 2 days trapped in cave An Italian spelunker has been rescued after two days trapped in a grotto beneath an Alpine glacier. 33-year-old Stefano Guarniero was pulled from the cave 650 feet below the surface after rescuers drilled a hole into the side of the mountain. Thousands left homeless by deadly quake on Indonesian island SENGGIGI, Indonesia (AP) – Thousands left homeless by a powerful quake that ruptured roads and flattened buildings on the Indonesian tourist is- land of Lombok sheltered Monday night in makeshift tents as authorities said res- cuers had not yet reached all devastated areas and expect the toll of 98 dead to climb. It was the second deadly quake in a week to hit Lombok, a less-developed is- land compared with its more famous neighbor Bali, where the strong tremors caused panic and damaged buildings. A July 29 quake killed 16 people and damaged hun- dreds of houses on Lombok, some of which collapsed in Sunday evening’s quake, mea- sured at magnitude 7.0 by In- donesian authorities and 6.9 by the U.S. Geological Survey. Damage was “massive” in mountainous northern Lombok, where the quake was centered, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. In several dis- tricts, more than half the homes were destroyed or se- verely damaged. A large mosque collapsed on worshippers in northern Lombok’s Lading-Lading vil- lage, and rescuers used a backhoe to search the de- bris. The number of victims was unknown. Some areas still had not been reached 24 hours after the quake because of col- lapsed bridges, blocked and ruptured roads and the loss of power and communications. Nugroho said the death toll had risen to 98 and warned it will continue to in- crease. All but two of were killed on Lombok; the others died on Bali. More than 230 people were seriously injured. Thousands of homes and buildings were damaged and those displaced camped wherever they could – in sports fields and on road- sides, cobbling together ram- shackle shelters and building campfires for warmth. Sahril, who uses one name, said he escaped his collapsing house in North Lombok with his immediate family, but his older brother is buried in his flattened home in the village of Cubek. “He was serving customers when the earthquake hap- pened. The customers man- aged to escape, but he himself didn’t,” Sahril said. “His two- story house collapsed and buried him. He had no chance to scream (for) help.” The quake struck at a shallow depth of 6 miles. Shallow quakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones. “We were sitting there having dinner at about 7 o’clock last night, we just felt a really big sort of shaking and the lights went off and everyone just ran,” Australian tourist Kim Liebelt said as he waited with other travelers for a flight out at Lombok’s international airport. “And then the roof started falling down on us, rocks and rubble and then just everyone running to get away,” he said. Videos showed screaming people running in panic from a shopping mall and a neigh- borhood in Bali where parked vehicles swayed. On Lombok, soldiers and other res- cuers carried the injured on stretchers and carpets. Many were treated outdoors because hospitals were damaged. “People panicked and scattered on the streets, and buildings and houses that had been damaged by the previous earthquake had be- come more damaged and col- lapsed,” Nugroho said. The quake triggered a tsu- nami warning, and fright- ened people rushed from their homes to higher ground, par- ticularly in North Lombok and Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province. The warning was lifted after only small waves were recorded. “When it happened, we stood with residents in the middle of the street and watched houses col- lapse around us,” said Yus- trianda Sirio, supervisor of a group of university stu- dents from Java doing a com- munity service program in East Lombok. “Many of us screamed hysterically.” He said the group already had been staying in tents after the July 29 quake, but now officials told them to return to Java. “We really want to stay here to help the villagers,” he said. On Gili Trawangan, one of three popular vacation islands near Lombok, thousands of tourists and residents spent Sunday night on a hill be- cause of tsunami fears, said British visitor Saffron Amis. “There was a lot of screaming and crying, partic- ularly from the locals,” said Amis, from Brighton. “We spoke to a lot of them and they were panicking about their family in Lombok. It was just a lot of panic be- cause no one knew what was happening.” By Monday morning, with electricity off and hotels and hostels damaged, thousands were desperate to leave. Hundreds packed a sliver of brilliant white sand beach on the 16-square-kilometer (6-square-mile) Trawangan island, shouting at rescue personnel trying to ensure an orderly evacuation, according to video and photos from the local water police. Nugroho said authorities deployed ships to evacuate people from the three islands. About 2,700 had left, but sev- eral thousand more tour- ists and hotel employees are waiting to leave, he said. Like Bali, Lombok is known for pristine beaches and mountains. Hotels and other buildings in both locations are not allowed to exceed the height of coconut trees. Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. In December 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. Australian Home Af- fairs Minister Peter Dutton, in Lombok for a regional se- curity meeting, said he and his delegation were dining in their hotel’s 12th-floor restaurant when the quake struck, plunging the building into darkness and throwing people to the floor. “Mate, we were knocked certainly to the floor. It was the violence of the shaking of the building – was pretty dramatic,” he said in a radio interview. “Everyone’s a bit shaken, but all well. But people out in the villages or elsewhere haven’t been so lucky, unfortunately.” The Bali and Lombok air- ports have stayed open. Model Chrissy Teigen, who was in Bali with singer- husband John Legend and their two children, live- tweeted the shaking. “Bali. Trembling. So long,” Teigen tweeted to her 10.6 million followers. Hours later, she asked news organizations not to write more stories about her lively stream-of-conscious- ness tweets, suggesting media focus instead on those who need help. A villager inspects the damage from a major earthquake Monday in Kayangan village on Lombok Island, Indonesia. – PHOTO: AP Trump reimposes sanctions to levy economic pressure on Iran WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday reimposing many sanc- tions on Iran, three months after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, saying the U.S. policy is to levy “max- imum economic pressure” on the country. In a statement, Trump said the 2015 international accord to freeze Iran’s nu- clear program in return for lifting sanctions was a “hor- rible, one-sided deal” and said it left the Iranian gov- ernment flush with cash to use to fuel conflict in the Middle East. “We urge all nations to take such steps to make clear that the Iranian regime faces a choice: either change its threatening, destabilizing be- havior and reintegrate with the global economy, or con- tinue down a path of eco- nomic isolation,” Trump said. Trump warned that those who do not wind down their economic ties to Iranian “risk severe consequences” under the reimposed sanctions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran will be rigorously enforced and re- main in place until the Ira- nian government radically changes course. Speaking to reporters en route from a three-na- tion trip to Southeast Asia, Pompeo said Monday’s re- imposition of some sanc- tions is an important pillar in U.S. policy toward Iran. He said the Trump admin- istration is open to looking beyond sanctions but that would “require enormous change” from Tehran. “We’re hopeful that we can find a way to move for- ward but it’s going to require enormous change on the part of the Iranian regime,” he said Sunday. “They’ve got to behave like a normal country. That’s the ask. It’s pretty simple.” European foreign min- isters said Monday they “deeply regret” the reimposi- tion of U.S. sanctions. A statement by European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and for- eign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom insisted that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal “is working and delivering on its goal” of limiting Iran’s nu- clear program. The ministers said the Iran deal is “crucial for the security of Europe, the region and the entire world.” A senior administration official said the United States is “not particularly con- cerned” by EU efforts to pro- tect European firms from the reimposition of sanctions. The official was not autho- rized to discuss the matter by name and spoke Monday on condition of anonymity. The European Union is- sued a “blocking statute” Monday to protect European businesses from the impact of the sanctions. The official says the U.S. will use the sanctions aggres- sively and cited Iran’s severe economic downturn this year as evidence the sanctions would prove to be effective despite opposition from the EU, China and Russia. Pompeo called the Iranian leadership “bad actors” and said Trump is intent on get- ting them to “behave like a normal country.” A first set of U.S. sanc- tions that had been eased by the Obama administra- tion under the terms of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal took effect on Monday, following Trump’s May de- cision to withdraw from the accord. Those sanctions target Iran’s automotive sector as well as gold and other metals. A second batch of U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s oil sector and central bank will be reimposed in early November. Pompeo noted that the U.S. has long designated Iran as the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism and said it cannot expect to be treated as an equal in the in- ternational community until it halts such activities.Next >