SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Bartenders compete to be Stoli Master Some of the island’s best shook their stuff last Sunday B2 Lottery opens for ‘Saturday Night Live’ You could win two free tickets this August B5 Movies Theater Special Events ■ FOOD & DRINK Agua reopens The popular restaurant has brand new digs in Camana Bay. B7 ‘The Meg’ takes a bite out of the box office Shark thriller starring Jason Statham provides escapist entertainment B4 ‘Giselle’ ballet at C amana Bay Cinema The classic tale is performed by the Bolshoi B6 STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July THE CHARACTER OF 1938. THE SMOOTHNESS OF 2018. A limited edition vodka made of: DRINK WITH CARE.STOLICHNAYA®80th ANNIVERSARY EDITION VODKA. 40 % Alc./Vol. Distilled from Grain. ©2018. All rights reserved. ® – STOLI and STOLICHNAYA are registered trademarks, depending on the country, of ZHS IP Americas Sàrl, ZHS IP Europe Sàrl, ZHS IP Worldwide Sàrl. Spirits International B.V., or Spirits Product International Intellectual Property B.V. The visual properties and bottle shape are intellectual property rights of the aforesaid entities. 17_01210_THEVodka_80th_2x12_Double_Case_Card.indd 1 27.10.17 09:14 THE CHARACTER OF 1938. THE SMOOTHNESS OF 2018. A limited edition vodka made of: DRINK WITH CARE. STOLICHNAYA®80th ANNIVERSARY EDITION VODKA. 40 % Alc./Vol. Distilled from Grain. ©2018. All rights reserved. ® – STOLI and STOLICHNAYA are registered trademarks, depending on the country, of ZHS IP Americas Sàrl, ZHS IP Europe Sàrl, ZHS IP Worldwide Sàrl. Spirits International B.V., or Spirits Product International Intellectual Property B.V. The visual properties and bottle shape are intellectual property rights of the aforesaid entities. REG. $33.99 NOW $27.99 July & August Only SAVE $ 6 THE CHARACTER OF 1938.THE SMOOTHNESS OF 2018. CAYMAN WEEKENDER Agua reopens EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE IGUANA BATTLE: IS CAYMAN FACING A ‘CULL-DE-SAC?’ High of 90 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 9 PCS OF THE BEST DRESSED CHICKEN, 2 LARGE SIDES & 5 BISCUITS Costs soar at Immigration Detention Centre KEN SILVA AND KAYLA YOUNG ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com, kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The cost of running the Immigration Deten- tion Centre increased roughly nine-fold over a 6.5-year period, from around $278,000 in 2011 and 2012 to nearly $2.5 million last year. For the 12-month periods of 2011/12 and 2012/13, about $277,000 per year was spent on operating the detention center and its related activities. That cost jumped to nearly $500,000 in 2013/14 and $1.5 million in 2014/15, and has been more than $2 million per year since, according to a spreadsheet breaking down the center’s costs provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration in re- sponse to an open records request. The costliest periods were when about $3.1 million was spent in 2015/16, and when nearly $1.9 million was spent during the six- month period from July to December 2016. Government said it is not able to pro- vide a complete breakdown of how many mi- grants were detained during the respective budget periods, but Compass archives state that in 2016 there were at times at least 125 detained migrants in the territory. This is more than double the detention center’s ca- pacity, forcing government to use civic cen- ters and other accommodations at the time, as well as private security firms. The primary driver of the cost increases has been overtime payments to Immigration Detention Centre staff. No overtime payments were made from June 2011 to July 2014, but such payments have averaged more than $1.5 million per year since then. Last year, roughly $1.6 million was spent on some 48,875 overtime hours accumulated by roughly 114 officers. The Ministry of Human Resources explained that work included the duties at the center and the time spent assisting in repatriating migrants. Payments were also made to prison, immigration, and police officers who OPPOSITION CALLS FOR REFERENDUM ON CRUISE PROJECT JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Opposition politicians are calling for government to hold a public referendum on whether to proceed with the cruise pier project in George Town harbor. The political group believes the project is not necessary and does not have the support of the majority of the Cayman Islands people. Opposition leader Ezzard Miller has ta- bled a private members’ motion calling for the people to decide on the issue. The mo- tion, seconded by East End legislator Arden McLean and supported by all five members of the official opposition, will likely be debated at the next session of the Legislative As- sembly, on Cayman Brac in early September. Mr. Miller acknowledged that govern- ment was unlikely to grant the request for a public vote. But he hopes it will force government to reveal more details of the project, what it involves, how it will be funded and who the shortlisted bidders are. “The government will have to respond to our charges and we will force them to un- veil more of the totality of what is going on,” he said. Mr. Miller believes the motion could also increase momentum for a people-initiated referendum. Under the islands’ constitution, government is obliged to hold a referendum on any issue of “national importance” if Cabinet is presented with a petition signed by 25 percent of registered voters. “That is an option that is open to us and Luxury cruise line includes Brac on Cuba itinerary Youngsters learn sweet traditions at Mission House Thirteen campers from the YMCA summer camp show off their cooking skills in a mango upside-down cupcake bake-off at the Bodden Town Mission House Thursday. The youngsters spent a day at the house learning about its history and how people lived in days gone by. For more, see page 2. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new luxury cruise line will begin calling at Cayman Brac from next year. Seabourn Cruise Lines an- nounced last week that it had received approval to travel to Cuba for the first time. The com- pany announced four separate trips for late 2019, departing from Miami and Puerto Rico and calling at various Cuban ports, as well as in Cayman Brac and Jamaica. Seabourn is a small, ultra- luxury cruise line that targets affluent travelers. The Seabourn Sojourn, the ship that will call at the Brac, has a capacity of 450 passengers. Currently, the MS Star Flyer, a four-masted tall ship that car- ries around 170 passengers, is the only cruise ship that stops at the Brac, making approximately four visits each year since 2015. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said government and the people of the Brac looked forward to providing Se- abourn’s guests with an “unfor- gettable experience.” “Having another cruise line calling on Cayman Brac will mean more business for the island and is an indication that cruise tourism could be PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Internati onal Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Dine-in!Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. 945-2290 Specializing in: Ladies & Men’s Haircuts Children’s Haircuts Colour/Highlights & Lowlights Beauty Treatments: Braiding • Keratin Treatment • Manicures • Pedicures Acrylic Nails • Waxing Facials • Massage • Full Body Treatments Eyelash & Eyebrow Tinting Tel: 949 8809 Open: Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm West Shore Centre, West Bay Road Ondina – Hair Stylist | Eugene – Hair Stylist Kalpana – Beauty Therapist Our experienced staff: YMCA campers combining bake-off and cultural lessons JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com YMCA campers who vis- ited the Bodden Town Mis- sion House got to take part in a bake-off while learning about some Cayman’s cul- ture on Thursday. Creating an upside-down mango cupcake in only 10 minutes would be a daunting challenge for most people, but these youngsters pulled it off. Campers formed two teams, “Sugar Rush” and “Girl Power,” for the challenge as Rhonda Cornwall and the site’s new Historic Coordi- nator Jennifer Martinez pre- pared ingredients to get campers baking. Girl Power emerged the winners. The 13 youngsters from the YMCA camp also went on a tour of the Mission House, drank lemongrass tea and learned the importance of knowing about Cayma- nian heritage. “I learned about all the stuff they had to do back in the days when they didn’t have that much stuff … and they had to make their own equipment too,” said camp participant Finley Hurst. “It was lots of fun, I learned about the history of the Mission House, how old it is, and what they had to do to survive back then,” added Olive Padarin. “This is just one of many cultural experiences young- sters are enjoying over the summer holidays,” said Ms. Martinez. YMCA Program Coordi- nator Serg Sandy said the day provided a taste of history and culture, and an opportunity for the kids to have fun and add to their studies at school. “The youngsters watched an informational video, toured the Mission House and got to make upside-down mango cupcakes,” he said. Ms. Martinez said one of the things they started this year at the Bodden Town Mission House was the Cay- manian traditional cooking classes. This is offered on Wednesdays and Fridays for children ages 7 to 12, using cooking items sourced in the garden or in the district. “It’s been a hit. We’ve had tours and groups come through. It’s been so popular we even offer cooking classes to the adults,” Ms. Martinez said. She said the Mission House will be hosting a back- to-school prayer meeting on Aug. 26 from 4-6 p.m., with free haircuts for boys, tours of the Mission House, free dental hygiene products, cupcakes and swanky drink. Mexico City bans use of models at city events MEXICO CITY (AP) – They have long been an unmissable part of public events in Mexico, from soccer matches to trade fairs: attractive women hired to be greeters or simply as eye candy, sometimes scantily clad in short skirts and high heels or crop-tops and hot pants emblazoned with corporate logos. Now Mexico City has pro- hibited the use of models known in local parlance as “edecanes” at events spon- sored by the local govern- ment, breaking new ground for a country where deeply entrenched gender stereo- types often continue to rel- egate women to supporting roles in the workforce. “This job should not exist,” the capital’s mayor, Jose Ramon Amieva, said in an- nouncing the ban last week. “It goes against policies of gender equality.” In 2014, a group of female politicians organized a forum on the topic that concluded the edecan industry some- times is a cover for prostitu- tion and that the models face precarious employment con- ditions. It estimated more than 1 million Mexicans work as hostesses or hosts, most of them in the informal sector. Online job postings for hostesses offer salaries ranging anywhere from 5,000 pesos ($260) to 30,000 pesos ($1,560) per month, well above the current minimum wage of about $4.60 per day. While edecanes’ pres- ence at corporate and gov- ernment events tends to be more demure than else- where – think blazers, high heels and slacks or knee- length skirts rather than skin- tight bodysuits – there have been some instances that at- tracted criticism. In perhaps the most noto- rious one, the electoral insti- tute hired a Playboy model to hand out envelopes at the first presidential debate ahead of the 2012 election. Julia Orayen emerged onstage in a tight white dress with a plunging neckline that revealed lots of cleavage, in sharp contrast to the button-up dress shirt and black suit donned by the lone female contender for the pres- idency, Josefina Vazquez. And in 2016, the New Al- liance party held a cam- paign event featuring several women in tight white stretch pants and topless save for body paint in the party’s sig- nature turquoise and white. At Mexico City government events, models have generally been hired to greet guests, pass microphones around for questions or simply smile onstage alongside mostly male speakers. Indra Rubio, who coordi- nates the gender justice pro- gram for Oxfam in Mexico, called the capital’s model ban a “small but very impor- tant step” for a country that’s “still macho.” “We need to question as a society: Why is a wom- an’s body seen as an object?” Rubio said. “This places the woman always at a disadvan- tage, if her participation in the workforce is subject to her physical appearance.” Hector Garcia, a booker at the Agencia de Modelos y Edecanes in Mexico City, called it “dignified work” and said the industry’s reputation has been damaged by others who work as escorts but call themselves edecanes or models. He said the mayor’s characterization of the profes- sion “is morally harmful and mainly stigmatizes edecanes all across Mexico.” Model and edecan Mariel Guerrero Castano echoed that sentiment. “He should not try to mix what other agencies or other groups, organizations are calling edecanes or models when really they are escorts or prostitution,” Guerrero said. “Then there are the le- gitimate agencies … that in truth are being stained by what these supposed agen- cies are doing.” The measure is part of a broader city initiative to give women greater responsibility in government. Amieva has committed to having women make up at least half the par- ticipants on expert panels at events and ensuring they get equal speaking time. City- wide, he said, public officials will be told to encourage pro- fessional growth for female employees based on their abilities and experience, not their appearance. Public ser- vants who fail to comply may be fined. Mexican institutions have made notable strides this year to incorporate more women in leadership positions. Nearly half the representatives in the incoming Congress will be fe- male. Mexico City is about to get its first elected woman mayor in Claudia Sheinbaum, who won office in July. Pres- ident-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes of- fice in December, has chosen women to fill half his Cab- inet positions. YMCA Program Coordinator Serg Sandy said the day provided a taste of history and culture, and an opportunity for the kids to have fun and add to their studies at school. Young visitors get a taste of Cayman’s past during a trip to the Mission House in Bodden Town Thursday morning. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY A model strikes a pose for a photographer, as part of her registration to be represented by a model and ‘edecan’ agency in Mexico City, Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 DatetItLetIMeCOStCPD 22 Aug International Standards on Auditing Cayman Funds 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm CIIPA Members $100 Non-Members $125 3 10 Sept Financial Controllers IFRS/US GAAP Update with Eamonn Walsh 8:30 am - 5:00 pm CIIPA Members $375 Non-Members $475 8 (NASBA) 17 Sept Alternative Assets in Portfolio Management 9:00 am - 12:30 pm Early bird: CIIPA Members $160 Non-Members $180 3.5 (NASBA) 17 Sept Hedge Funds & Liquid Alternatives in a Changing Landscape 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm Early bird: CIIPA Members $135 Non-Members $150 3.5 (NASBA) 19 Sept Private Equity and Hedge Funds: Consequences of Convergence 9:00 am - 12:30 pm Early bird: CIIPA Members $160 Non-Members $180 3.5 (NASBA 19 Sept Counterparty Risk, XVO and Collateral Management 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm Early bird: CIIPA Members $135 Non-Members $150 3.5 (NASBA) 26 Sept Presentation Skills with Paul Njoka 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm CIIPA Members $125 Non-Members $150 3 27 Sept Insolvency in the Cayman Islands 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm CIIPA Members $60 Non-Members $80 2 Register online: www.ciipa.ky/live-training Email: admin@ciipa.ky Call: 749-3360 CIIPa.ky NeeD CPD? WE’RE HERE FOR TRAINING 175785-Ad-Training-4colx12-Compa1 18/15/18 2:25:57 PM Attorneys plead leniency for ‘bumbling drug dealers’ Ex-Immigration staffers to be sentenced on Wednesday KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedia.ltd.com. Former Department of Im- migration staffers Stephen Wayne Hurlston and Oscar Lee Watler are not hardened drug dealers, but simply “in- competent amateurs” and “nothing but bumbling drug dealers,” their attorneys told the court on Wednesday, asking for a lesser sentence for their clients. Messrs. Hurlston and Watler were convicted in May of possession of co- caine with intent to supply. They were scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, but their attorneys spent most of the hearing arguing that the court should give a lesser sentence due to their clean track records and other factors. The attorney for Mr. Watler, John Furniss, said his client had worked for the Department of Immi- gration since 2001, and that his colleagues “spoke very highly of him.” Mr. Watler, 34, also has health problems, including a transplanted kidney, eye is- sues that required surgery, and the need for a hearing aid, according to Mr. Furniss. While the amount of cocaine Mr. Watler was found guilty of possessing – more than 1.61 pounds – typically re- sults in a 15-year sentence, Mr. Furniss asked that his client fall within the 8- to 12- year range as a result of the above factors. The two defendants were not experienced drug dealers, but found the co- caine, he said. Instead of rightly turning it over to the authorities, in their excite- ment they decided to keep it in their possession, according to the attorney. Mr. Hurlston’s attorney, Steve McField, made sim- ilar pleadings for his client, saying that the defendant had a “great and a good life” with no criminal record. Mr. Hurlston, 28, also has a child and poses little risk of com- mitting another crime, Mr. McField said. His biggest punishment will be losing his standing in the community, as well as his job at the Department of Im- migration, Mr. McField added. Mr. Furniss also submitted to the court a case precedent where another Cayman defen- dant was given a lesser sen- tence for a similar crime. However, Crown Counsel Kenneth Ferguson pointed out that the defendant in that case had pleaded guilty, while Mr. Watler did not. Mr. Furniss responded that while the defendant in the case he submitted had pleaded guilty, that person also had a prior conviction. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn said she needed time to review the case, and de- layed her sentencing until Wednesday, Aug. 22. Police plan East End district meeting MESSI’S BROTHER MATIAS SENTENCED FOR ILLEGAL GUN POSSESSION The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service is in- viting members of the public to attend a district meeting in East End on Thursday, Aug. 30. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the East End Presbyterian Church Hall. The meeting is open to the public and residents are en- couraged to attend in order to express concerns and ask questions. Refreshments will be served. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Matias Messi, brother of Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi, has been sentenced for illegally pos- sessing a firearm. Messi received a 2 ½-year prison sentence on Thursday but will not go to jail. He was instead ordered to per- form community service. La Capital newspaper in the Ar- gentine city of Rosario says that the decision was reached under a deal with investi- gating prosecutors. The weapon was found late last year inside a blood-stained boat which Messi crashed in the Parana River. The 35-year-old Messi was held under preventive arrest and later released while he recovered from a fractured jaw and other in- juries at a hospital in Ar- gentina’s Santa Fe province. Messi’s attorney has origi- nally said his client crashed into a sandbank and denied that he owned the gun. Matias Messi is escorted outside the Criminal Justice Center in Rosario, Argentina, Thursday. - PHOTO: APThe 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. On a May night in 1974 in the District of Bodden Town, 793,103 mosquitoes were captured in a so-called “New Jersey light trap,” setting a world record that, to our knowledge, has never been broken. Three years earlier, some fool exposed his arm to mosquito bites in a South Sound swamp. More than 600 mosquitoes IN ONE MINUTE took advantage of the opportunity. Simply put, Grand Cayman held the ignominious title of being the most mosquito-infested location on the planet. A few years earlier, an entomologist named Dr. Marco Giglioli, who was affiliated with London University, had been recruited to these islands with the singular chal- lenge of eliminating or controlling the mosquito menace that flourished in our mangrove swamps and other hospitable habitats. Dr. Giglioli’s work, which spawned our modern-day Mosquito Control and Research Unit (MRCU), of course, is one of the great successes in modern Cayman history. It enabled these islands to progress into modernity as a tourist and commercial destination and, most importantly, improved the quality of life immensely for the people living here. We recite this history because today, Grand Cayman finds itself in a different, but consequential, battle with another invasive species, the green iguana. It is a battle we are losing, and will lose, unless we radically revise our approach. The numbers themselves tell the story and highlight the risk: • Less than two years ago, the green iguana popula- tion in Grand Cayman was estimated at 500,000. • Today the population is thought to be 2 million, pro- jected to rise to 4.6 million by 2020. • Just one year later, in 2021, the number increases to 9.2 million, and by 2028, a decade from now, more than 1 billion! Any banker who understands the principle of compound interest or any student of U.K. cleric and scholar Thomas Malthus (1766-1834), who studied population growth, knows that dollars, or people, or iguanas multiply not linearly but exponentially – if left unchecked. (Species, of course, are affected by factors other than procreation, such as loss of habitat, disease, predators, restriction of food supply, etc.) Put another way, Cayman has a serious problem that, frankly, it is not taking seriously at all. To date, Cayman has come up with more silliness than substance (remember the “Lizard Lotto”) and its current scheme of arming private citizens and sending them off to kill approx- imately 6,000 iguanas PER DAY is far from comforting. This plan raises some obvious questions and concerns, not yet addressed or, at least, made public, by government. Among them: 1) How do you kill iguanas? We hear air rifles may be the weapon of choice. 2) If so, where does one acquire an air rifle? A.L. Thompson and Cox Lumber tell us they do not keep them in stock. Can they be easily imported? Is a license required? Is any training needed? 3) What are the risk/liability implications for govern- ment if a “hunter” accidentally shoots another hunter – or worse, a civilian or, even worse, a tourist? If the plan is to shoot 6,000 iguanas a day (and dare we point out that every 24-hour period includes a “Happy Hour”), these are not fanciful questions or concerns. Every project of this magnitude, in order to succeed, requires at least three components: • First, a well-thought-out business plan that can with- stand aggressive debate, disagreement and chal- lenge. The plan must provide for useful measure- ments, such as an at-a-glance “scorecard,” to inform both project leaders and the public, as to whether the goals are being met. • Second, a commitment of substantial financial and human resources to ensure, or at least enable, a suc- cessful outcome. • Third, a champion, meaning an individual – certainly not a department or a committee – committed and dedicated to the focused task of driving this process to a triumphant conclusion. To date, not one of these critical ingredients is in place. That is bad news for us – and good news for the iguanas. The iguana battle: Is Cayman facing a ‘cull-de-sac’? FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The label that scares most Americans Republicans are begging a shellacking in the mid- terms. They are relying too much on the recent economic boom and the Democrats’ so- cialism problem to win in- dependent voters and ener- gize their base. The GOP deserves credit for revving up growth and driving down unemploy- ment but the second quarter 4.1 percent GDP spike is not likely to repeat. And many post-financial crisis college graduates and older folks who lost careers remain stuck at Starbucks or in jobs that do not exploit and pay for their experience. Third quarter growth es- timates will be released 10 days before the November elections and likely will be in line with Mr. Trump’s goal of 3 percent growth. That of- fers new grads better oppor- tunities but will not lift many folks stuck in substandard jobs whose degrees are 5, 10 or more years older. That is why new grads are enjoying robust opportuni- ties but real wage growth for workers already employed is not picking up. Saddled with student debt, unable to buy afford- able health insurance or a home, these folks see great wealth around them – wit- ness the incomes in the Sil- icon Valley and on Wall Street. However, as the economy is now organized and run by either political party, it rel- egates them to marginalized status until something comes along to shake up the system. An October 2017 study found 46 percent of Ameri- cans between 18 and 29 be- lieve governments are more effectively run by experts than elected officials – among those over 50, the figure was 36 percent. Similar polls show wide youth dissatisfac- tion with capitalism. Enter avowed Socialist Al- exandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats like Sen. Ka- mala Harris and Sen. Cory Booker advocating radical, statist solutions. The Socialist label scares most Americans. They re- member the workers’ para- dises in Soviet-era Eastern Europe and how state-own- ership in Cuba and Vene- zuela gave rise to present day dystopias. But young people also see China where autocratic state direction is pulling off a miracle on the scale of the opening of the American West. More importantly, Bernie Sanders and his acolytes are not talking about national- izing whole industries as did post-war British Labor gov- ernments with disastrous consequences but rather a continuation of the Obama agenda to make American so- cial policies and economic regulations look more like Western Europe. In the European Union, Brussels experts impose regulations and make anti- trust, civil rights and inter- national trade policies with little or only distant political accountability. Sen. Sanders’ Medicaid for all would ultimately look a lot like the German health- care system – private pro- viders, regulated prices and bigger federal subsidies. Fis- cally irresponsible yes, but not the work of Bolsheviks. Government guaranteed annual incomes and jobs taken together really become a rework of conservative pre- scriptions to scale back the complex array of entitle- ments programs with a large refundable income tax credit and work requirements. After Bernie has bank- rupted the Treasury with the highest price national health plan on the planet, the only way to raise the money for those hobby horses would be to curtail welfare ben- efits and force the able bodied to take one of those guaranteed jobs. Yes, the insurgent left’s policies look like Stalin building the Moscow subway but also like Speaker Ryan’s more pleasant daydreams. Labels count but more im- portantly, Americans are still doing poorly enough to throw the rascals out yet again but in the process, voters may become tools of the new racism and sexism. The real agenda of the in- surgent left of the Demo- cratic Party is to use the op- portunity of the mid-terms to both knock off Republicans and replace the aging, white hierarchy of the Democratic Party – Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren post an av- erage age of 73 – with younger leaders, more women and in particular, women of color. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has come under fire for not being liberal enough or supporting enough women candidates. That is laughable for a guy who championed paid family leave and a $15 hour minimum but his real crimes are his age, 60, close association with establish- ment Democrats and that he is a white male. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has re- fused to commit to backing Ms. Pelosi for Speaker, and Kamala Harris, exploring a bid for the White House, is doubling down on iden- tity politics – gender, race and open borders – to try to reinvent the magic that put Barack Obama in the White House. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI 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&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 PARTICIPATING STORES Polyn is now accepted at: National Trust launches scavenger hunt Explorers of Cayman’s historical and natural at- tractions now have a new way to keeping track of all the sites they have vis- ited and a fun opportu- nity to check out some they have not. The Cayman Islands Na- tional Trust has introduced an “Explorer Passport to Grand Cayman,” a com- prehensive scavenger hunt booklet for the island which enables visitors and resi- dents to visit sites, discover unique aspects of each area, and learn about the heri- tage and natural wonders of the island. The fun 20-page booklet features photos of sites and includes a map and stickers that will allow users to mark where they have visited. Each of the passport’s pages has a variety of na- ture-related activities that visitors can see and explore. There are also several “Did You Know” facts about the various sites. “Our new Explorer Pass- port was originally con- ceived of as a fun tool to en- courage schoolchildren to discover the many natural and historic heritage sites that they may have never visited before,” said Cathe- rine Childs, education man- ager for the National Trust. “Once we started devel- oping the booklet, we re- alized that everyone, lo- cals and tourists alike, would love to have access to a guidebook like this that draws attention to impor- tant but rarely visited sites.” Ms. Childs said it is laid out like a scavenger hunt, with a pullout map and stickers to indicate where the visitor has been. It also includes a para- graph about each location with several interesting things to look for. “It’s so much fun, you don’t even notice that you’re learning all about Cayman culture and heritage,” Ms. Childs said. The booklet is available for $6 at Cayman’s Nature Store, Dart Family Park, South Church Street, which is open Mondays through Fridays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cayman National Bank assisted the National Trust in creating the unique ac- tivity booklet. Each of the passport’s pages has a variety of nature-related activities that visitors can see and explore. CAYMAN STARS IN DISTRICT ROUND OF TOASTMASTERS Annick Jackman is using the power of her words and ideas to represent the Cayman Islands. Ms. Jackman, a marketing manager for the Cayman Is- lands Department of Tourism, recently starred in the dis- trict-level competition of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest in Haiti, and was chosen to progress to the next level. Now, she will prepare for the semifinals in Chicago on Aug. 23. A winning per- formance could land her a berth in the World Champi- onships of Public Speaking, held at the Toastmasters In- ternational Convention in Chi- cago on Aug. 25. Ms. Jackman, a Distin- guished Toastmaster from the Grand Cayman Toastmas- ters Club, impressed the Haiti judges’ panel with her speech entitled “They walk among us.” The speech advocated for sup- port and compassion for those in society who are hurt, either emotionally or psychologically. “The key is to have a story- line that the audience can re- late to,” said Ms. Jackman as part of an official press re- lease. “Something personal that shows the importance of being kind.” Ms. Jackman will compete with 105 other winners from districts around the world in the semifinals, and they will be vying for one of 10 spots in the World Championships. Her participation follows a six-month process of elimi- nation through club, area, di- vision and district speech competitions. The speeches, which are five to seven min- utes in length, are judged on content, organization, ges- tures and style. “Toastmasters’ speech con- tests are another way to build your confidence, sharpen your skills and speak to many different audiences,” said Ms. Jackman. “This is the first time someone from the Cayman Is- lands will represent the Carib- bean District, and I am looking forward to competing on a much larger state in Chicago.” Annick Jackman holds her Caribbean Toastmasters award following the contest in Haiti on May 19. She is now preparing for the semifinals of the district competition on Aug. 23. A pullout map in the Explorers Passport lets visitors and residents see at a glance the various heritage and natural sites that are waiting to be explored. - IMAGE: NATIONAL TRUSTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The following is a list of entities that have provided goods or services to the Immigration Detention Centre over the last five-plus years. Government did not include how much these entities have received, nor when they were paid. Several lines in government’s list of vendors were redacted. Immigration Detention Centre spending, June 2011 through Dec. 2017 July 2011- June 2012 July 2012- June 2013 July 2013- June 2014 July 2014- June 2015 July 2015- June 2016 July-Dec. 2016 Jan.-Dec. 2017 Total Overtime$0$0$0$959,175$1,849,222$1,092,138$1,619,017$5,519,552 Security Services$214,072$205,626$371,630$390,921$493,898$241,467$280,770$2,197,784 Food$32,042$27,496$70,654$72,088$200,391$167,880$203,180$773,731 Airfares$10,209$27,782$0$44,568$234,850$78,864$117,525$513,798 Medical$2,159$0$27,890$8,105$56,013$207,400$122,538$424,105 Incidentals$0$0$0$1,800$19,608$20,402$28,976$70,786 Utilities$12,265$9,135$25,530$68,616$42,398$42,942$89,051$289,937 Maintenance $7,815$6,079$98$35,072$185,448$12,133$28,662 $275,307 Furniture$0$0$0$0$27,111$1,609$0$28,720 Accommodation $0$0$0$1,900$12,366$0$3,528 $17,794 Total$278,562$276,118$495,802$1,582,245$3,121,305$1,864,835$2,493,247$10,111,514 ■■ 3T Cayman Ltd. ■■ AL Thompsons Home Depot ■■ Ace Paint & Décor ■■ Airport Center Pharmacy ■■ Blueprint Construction ■■ Brand Source Home Gallery ■■ C.E.L. Distributors ■■ Cable & Wireless (CI) Ltd. ■■ Caribbean Optical Ltd. ■■ Caribbean Utilities Company ■■ Cayisle Enterprises Ltd. ■■ Cayman Airways ■■ Cayman Coating Industries Ltd. ■■ Cayman Islands Prison Service ■■ Cayman Yard Doctors ■■ Commercial Supply Distributors Inc. ■■ Compass Marine Ltd. ■■ Cox Lumber Co. ■■ D&G Aircondition Services Ltd. ■■ Digicel (Cayman) ■■ Dr. Foley’s Eye Clinic ■■ Economy Tent International ■■ Flowers Bottled Water ■■ Foster’s Food Fair Ltd. ■■ Funky Tang’s Ltd. ■■ Health Care P ■■ Health Services Authority ■■ HHG Cayman Ltd. ■■ Home Gas Ltd. ■■ Humming Bird Construction ■■ Hurlston Painting & Janitorial ■■ Immigration Department ■■ Industrial Services & Equipment ■■ International Light & Design ■■ J. Michael Imports ■■ Jacques Scott & Co. Ltd. ■■ Jordan Chainlink Fence ■■ Kirk Office ■■ Latin Taste ■■ Logic ■■ MacDonalds Chicken Delite ■■ Mango Tree Restaurant ■■ Massive Equipment Rental & Sales Ltd. ■■ Mega Systems Ltd. ■■ Midland ■■ National Security Services Ltd. ■■ Optical Outlook ■■ Paramount Carpet Sales & Service ■■ Parker’s ■■ Passport Office ■■ Paul’s Barbers and Supply Store Limited ■■ Paul Bodden Heavy Equipment Service ■■ PM Industrial Gas Ltd. ■■ Police Welfare Fund ■■ Port Authority ■■ Priced Right ■■ Professional Pharmacy Services Ltd. ■■ Professional Waste Management ■■ Public Works ■■ Puritan Cleaners ■■ R&R Variety Store ■■ Reva Inc. ■■ Royal Cayman Islands Police Service ■■ Royal Bank of Canada ■■ SAGC ■■ The Security Centre Ltd. ■■ Shedden Road Vision Clinic ■■ Smith’s AC & Refrigeration ■■ T/A Comfort ■■ Theo R. Bodden Memorial Funeral Home ■■ Tomlinson Furniture ■■ Tri Island Aggregates CI Ltd. ■■ TrinCay Medical Services ■■ Truly Nolen ■■ Uncle Bill’s Home Improvement Centre ■■ Unknown ■■ Valu-Med Pharmacy ■■ Watler, Ronald ■■ Webster’s Tours ■■ Wendel Construction ■■ Weststar TV Ltd. ■■ Young World Fashions Costs soar at Immigration Detention Centre tions, the government must take steps to rectify this sit- uation before the facility be- comes uninhabitable and a further health risk,” Com- mission Chairman James Austin-Smith wrote in a July 11 letter to Her Majesty’s Prisons Service. Interim Prisons Director Steven Barrett responded to Mr. Austin-Smith’s letter at the time, noting that he was “disappointed” by the state of the bathroom facilities at the center and that the sit- uation in the kitchen where flies buzzed around spoiled food was “unacceptable.” “Food storage and han- dling areas will be deep- cleaned and a program of hygienic inspections com- menced,” Mr. Barrett said. All the Cuban migrants were released from the Im- migration Detention Centre earlier this month. They are now living in the community while their asylum applications are being heard, and the fa- cility is currently under- going upgrades in prepara- tion to house inmates from Northward Prison. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 assisted in such duties, the ministry stated. Other cost increases over the last few years include medical services, which in- creased from less than $50,000 per year before July 2015 to more than $100,000 per year after that. The Ministry of Human Resources and Immigra- tion stated that there have been four female detainees who used maternity benefits while being held at the Im- migration Detention Centre. Other large medical costs have been associated with an eye injury sustained last year by one of the detainees, forcing him to be taken to Jamaica for surgery. “Several” other migrants also required surgery while under detention, according to the ministry. Airfare costs have also spiked in recent years from less than $50,000 per year before July 2015 to more than $100,000 per year after that. But when asked how many flights have been con- ducted last year, what des- tinations were flown to and from, and how many people flew, the Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration told the Compass that that information is “unknown.” Vendors The ministry did include with its spreadsheet of costs a list of vendors that have provided services to the Im- migration Detention Centre, and Cayman Airways is listed nearly 100 times. Other vendors include Jacques Scott & Co. Ltd., the Security Centre Ltd., the Health Services Authority, Cost-U-Less, Kirk Home Centre, MacDonalds Chicken Delite, Latin Taste and the Mango Tree restaurants, telecommunications compa- nies Digicel, Flow and Logic, and the Theo R. Bodden Me- morial Funeral Home, as well as a vendor or vendors marked “unknown” more than 20 times. Other ven- dors were redacted from the list (see sidebar for a list of all vendors). However, the Ministry of Human Resources and Immi- gration did not list when the purchases were made from the vendors, nor how much the vendors were paid. ‘Unsanitary’ conditions In July this year, the Human Rights Commission inspected the Immigration Detention Centre and found flies buzzing around “spoiled food,” as well as other un- sanitary conditions. “Due to the extensive na- ture of the unsanitary condi- Former Indian PM Vajpayee dies after illness at age 93 NEW DELHI (AP) – Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Hindu nationalist who set off a nu- clear arms race with rival Pakistan but later reached across the border to begin a groundbreaking peace process, died on Thursday after a prolonged ill- ness. He was 93. The All India Institute of Medical Sci- ences, where Vajpayee had been hospital- ized for more than two months for treat- ment of a kidney infection and chest congestion, announced his death. Vajpayee, a leader of the Hindu na- tionalist Bharatiya Janata Party, had suffered a stroke in 2009. A onetime journalist, Vajpayee was in many ways a political contradic- tion: He was the moderate leader of an often-strident Hindu nationalist move- ment. He was a lifelong poet who re- vered nature but who oversaw India’s growth into a swaggering regional eco- nomic power. He was the prime min- ister who ordered nuclear tests in 1998, stoking fears of atomic war between India and Pakistan. Then, a few years later, it was Vajpayee who made the first moves toward peace. Vajpayee’s supporters saw him as a skilled politician who managed to avoid fanaticism, a man who refused to see the world in black and white. But his critics considered him the leader of a fanatic movement – a movement partially rooted in Euro- pean fascism – that sought power by stoking public fears of India’s large Muslim minority. The one thing both sides could agree on was his honesty. Vajpayee was that rare thing in Indian politics: a man un- tainted by corruption scandals. One of seven children of a school- teacher in central India, Vajpayee joined India’s Hindu revivalist political move- ment in his late 20s. Elected to Parlia- ment in 1957, he became the best-known figure in its moderate wing, and helped the Bharatiya Janata Party become one of India’s few national political parties. One of India’s longest-serving law- makers, Vajpayee was elected nine times to the powerful Lok Sabha, or lower house of Parliament. He also served two terms in the Rajya Sabha, or upper house. He led the party to its first national electoral victory in 1996, but lasted just 13 days as prime minister before he re- signed in the face of a no-confidence mo- tion. He returned to power in 1998 for 13 months after forging an alliance of 22 parties, mostly regional power brokers with disparate local appeal. He again served as India’s prime minister from 1999 to 2004. CUBA AND CANADA SIGN AGREEMENT TO FIGHT SEX TRAFFICKING HAVANA (AP) – Cuba and Canada have signed an agreement to reinforce co- operation on sex trafficking of minors and women, pledging to track and ap- prehend citizens from ei- ther country engaged in ex- ploitation of children and adolescents for pornog- raphy or sexual abuse. A superintendent of the Canadian Royal Mounted Police charged with tracking sexual abuse of minors by Canadian citizens says the agreement will enhance the efforts by both sides to monitor and impede sexual crimes against women and minors in both countries. Marie-Claude Arsenault says it provides a legal framework for pursuing cases leading to prosecu- tion for such crimes. The agreement signed Wednesday calls for greater information sharing, joint in- vestigations, and prosecution of suspects by either country. A million Canadians travel to Cuba on hol- iday every year. The agreement signed Wednesday calls for greater information sharing, joint investigations, and prosecution of suspects by either country.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 ADVERTORIAL A strategic objective of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (DOT) is to ensure that the community is aware of the work done around the globe to market the Cayman Islands as a leading vacation destination as well as provide insight into the business of tourism. To accomplish this objective, DOT has launched OurCayman.ky, a local-focused corporate website which will provide concise, useful information about the work of the tourism department and how to engage the various areas within the department. “The core focus for this site is to be an informative tool that will highlight the different areas of DOT's business functions, services and pertinent information for the local community,” shared Minister of Tourism, the Hon Moses Kirkconnell. “This site will celebrate Caymanian culture, our way of life and the global work of the department which is crucial to the success of our thriving tourism industry.” Visitors to the website will find the latest tourism news; learn about the programmes managed by DOT such as PRIDE training and student education; find resources on laws, policies and how to become a tourism partner; and other areas which fall under the remit of the department. OurCayman.ky The landing page of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) new corporate website OurCayman.ky CAYMAN ISLANDS DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM OurCayman.ky “The OurCayman website is your resource to tourism information,” said Director of Tourism, Mrs. Rosa Harris. “We are excited to provide the community direct information about our global efforts to strategically advance the success of tourism and work collaboratively with the business community.” Visit the website www.OurCayman.ky for more details. “The government will have to respond to our charges and we will force them to unveil more of the totality of what is going on.” EZZARD MILLER, opposition leader we will be prepared to sup- port other agencies who are in the process of trying to initiate a people’s refer- endum,” he added. Mr. Miller, who held a press conference to announce the motion at his George Town office Thursday, said there was no justification for the cruise pier project. Citing figures from a 2015 environmental impact assessment report on the project, he said the piers would have a direct nega- tive impact on water sports businesses in George Town that rely on the reef for their livelihood. The report indicated economic losses of around $20 million each year for that sector. He also took issue with subsequent projections in a business case study that the cruise piers would lead to an overall net economic ben- efit for Cayman. That report was based on the projection that cruise numbers would decline sig- nificantly if new piers were not built. Mr. Miller said there was no evidence that this was the case. “There can be no justifi- cation or urgency to build a cruise pier in the face of government-reported sus- tained growth in the cruise ship and passenger visits year-on-year for the last five years,” he said. Cruise arrivals tipped one million for the first six months of 2018, and while it is broadly accepted that those numbers were buff- ered by ships diverted from hurricane-hit islands in the eastern Caribbean, Mr. Miller said the overall trend for Cayman was positive – with or without a cruise dock. He said the Cayman Is- lands was a key destination on cruise lines’ western Ca- ribbean itineraries and that would remain the case. “The Good Lord put the Cayman Islands in the cor- rect geographical location, a day’s sail from Montego Bay and Ocho Rios,” he said. “At some point in time, government has to acknowl- edge that there is really no need for these cruise piers in order for the industry to sustain itself. That has been consistently demon- strated over the past 20 years,” he added. He said that the project was not supported by the Chamber of Commerce, Cayman Islands Tourism As- sociation or the Watersports Association, and that the ma- jority of written submissions from the public during the environmental impact assess- ment process had expressed opposition to the project. Mr. Miller said the oppo- sition’s position was that the Cayman Islands should sup- port the tender operators in obtaining better vessels and make a smaller scale invest- ment in improving facilities around the port for disem- barking passengers. The private members’ mo- tion highlights a lack of in- formation on the specifics of the project, objections from the general public, fears of environmental impact to coral reefs, including dive sites, in the harbor, and con- cerns over the affordability of the project. It adds, “Be it therefore re- solved that government hold a referendum to determine if the majority of Caymanians support the proposal for the cruise berthing facility and that such a referendum be held as soon as possible. “And be it therefore re- solved that no contracts to design, finance, build and maintain the facility are awarded prior to the pub- lishing of the outcome of the referendum.” Opposition calls for referendum on cruise project Ships moor outside George Town on a busy cruise ship day. Cayman’s opposition politicians are calling for a referendum on government plans to build a cruise dock in George Town. – PHOTO: CHRIS COURT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Former Indian PM Vajpayee dies after illness at age 93 developed as a viable addition to the existing tourism product,” he said in an emailed response to questions from the Cayman Compass. “The Ministry of Tourism has been working hard to encourage smaller vessels to include Cayman Brac on their itineraries and we are excited to welcome the Seabourn cruise line in the future.” Seabourn is marketing 12- and 14-day trips to Cuba and the Caribbean, starting in November 2019. Luxury cruise line includes Brac on Cuba itinerary CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 UK police get more time to quiz suspect British police have been given more time to question the suspect in a car crash outside Parliament that injured three people. Salih Khater is being held on suspicion of terrorism and attempted murder. A magistrate has given police until Monday to charge him, release him or seek another extension. FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Protect what’s valuable to you! Be storm ready! At Cayman First, we offer a range of insurance products that are easy to understand - including protection against loss or damage to your property and possessions in the event of extreme weather. HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE. Market Leading Coverage Competitive Pricing Multi-Policy Discounts COMMERCIAL. HEALTH. HOME. MARINE. MOTOR. STRATA For a quotation Call 345-949-7028 Email askus@caymanfirst.com Visit caymanfirst.com US newspapers to Trump: We are not enemies of the people NEW YORK (AP) – Newspa- pers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against Presi- dent Donald Trump’s attacks on “fake news” Thursday with a coordinated series of edito- rials speaking up for a free and vigorous press. The Boston Globe, which set the campaign in mo- tion by urging the uni- fied voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate. They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland (Maine) Press- Herald said a free and inde- pendent press is the best de- fense against tyranny, while the Honolulu Star-Adver- tiser emphasized democracy’s need for a free press. “The true enemies of the people – and democracy – are those who try to suffo- cate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger,” wrote the Des Moines Reg- ister in Iowa. In St. Louis, the Post- Dispatch called journal- ists “the truest of patriots.” The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Amer- icans know that Trump is talking nonsense. The Fayetteville Ob- server said it hoped Trump would stop, “but we’re not holding our breath.” “Rather, we hope all the president’s supporters will recognize what he’s doing – manipulating reality to get what he wants,” the North Carolina newspaper said. On Thursday morning, Trump again took to Twitter to denounce “fake news.” He wrote: “THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country …. BUT WE ARE WINNING!” The Morning News of Sa- vannah, Georgia, said it was a confidant, not an enemy, to the people. “Like any true friend, we don’t always tell you want you want to hear,” the Morning News said. “Our news team presents the hap- penings and issues in this community through the lens of objectivity. And like any true friend, we refuse to mis- lead you. Our reporters and editors strive for fairness.” Some newspapers used history lessons to state their case. The Elizabethtown Ad- vocate in Pennsylvania, for instance, compared free press in the United States to such rights promised but not delivered in the former Soviet Union. The New York Times added a pitch. “If you haven’t already, please subscribe to your local papers,” said the Times, whose opinion section also summarized other editorials across the country. “Praise them when you think they’ve done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We’re all in this together.” That last sentiment made some journalists skittish. Some newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal and the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote editorials explaining why they were not joining the Globe’s effort. The Chronicle wrote that one of its most important values is indepen- dence, and going along with the crowd went against that. Both the Chronicle and Bal- timore Sun said that it plays into the hands of Trump and his supporters who think the media is out to get him. Nolan Finley, columnist and editorial page editor of The Detroit News, spoke up for the press but added a scolding. He said too many journalists are slipping opinion into their news re- ports, adding commentary and calling it context. “Donald Trump is not re- sponsible for the eroding trust in the media,” Finley wrote. “He lacks the cred- ibility to pull that off. The damage to our standing is self-inflicted.” The Radio Television Dig- ital News Association, which represents more than 1,200 broadcasters and websites, is also asking its members to point out that journalists are friends and neighbors doing important work holding gov- ernment accountable. “I want to make sure that it is positive,” said Dan Shelley, the group’s execu- tive director. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot if we make this about attacking the president or attacking his supporters.” President Donald Trump speaks in Utica, New York, Monday. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2018 Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Albert Eduardo Bodden, who passed away on Friday August 10, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held at First Assembly of God, 195 Old Crewe Rd on Saturday August 18, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Interment follows at Prospect Cemetery. When Links of life are broken, and loved ones have to part. It leaves a wound that never heals, and an ever-aching heart. Sometimes it’s hard to understand, why certain things must be. but there is a reason for it all, beyond our powers to see. You’ve gone from us but you le memories Death can never take away. Memories that will always linger deep within our hearts to stay. To Mark: from your loving Mother, Grandmother & Grandfather, Brothers; Gordon & Jeremy, Sister; Samantha, Step-Mother, Uncles and special friend Alvina. To Mary: From your loving Mother & Step-Father, Brothers & Sisters. Children; Gordon, Desiree, Pat and Jermaine, Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren, and special friend Ricky. Mark Phillip Bodden 11/10/1976 – 18/08/2014 Mary Patricia General 10/01/1958 – 06/05/2015 Mary Patricia General Mark Phillip Bodden We regret to announce the passing of Louisa Rebekah Hydes-Ebanks Who departed this life on Thursday, 9th August 2018. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. A Funeral Service will be held at John Gray Memorial Church West Bay on Saturday, 25th August 2018 at 4:00 p.m. Viewing will be held prior to the service from 3:00- 3:45p.m Interment will follow at West Bay Cemetery Brennan: Trump worked with Russians and now he’s desperate WASHINGTON (AP) – Former CIA Director John Brennan said Thursday that President Donald Trump yanked his se- curity clearance because his campaign colluded with the Russians to sway the 2016 election and is now desperate to end the special counsel’s investigation. In an opinion piece in The New York Times, Brennan cites press reports and Trump’s own goading of Russia during the campaign to find Democrat Hillary Clinton’s missing emails. Trump himself drew a di- rect connection between the revocation of Brennan’s clear- ance and the Russia probe, telling The Wall Street Journal the investigation is a “sham,” and “these people led it!” “So I think it’s some- thing that had to be done,” Trump said. Brennan wrote that Trump’s claims of no collu- sion with Russia are “hog- wash” and that the only ques- tion remaining is whether the collusion amounts to a “constituted criminally li- able conspiracy.” “Trump clearly has be- come more desperate to pro- tect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated de- cision to revoke my secu- rity clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him,” he wrote. Brennan’s loss of a se- curity clearance was an un- precedented act of retribu- tion against a vocal critic and politicizes the federal gov- ernment’s security clearance process. Former CIA direc- tors and other top national security officials are typi- cally allowed to keep their clearances, at least for some period, so they can be in a po- sition to advise their succes- sors and to hold certain jobs. Trump said Wednesday he is reviewing the security clearances of several other former top intelligence and law enforcement officials, in- cluding former FBI Director James Comey. All are critics of the president or are people whom Trump appears to be- lieve are against him. Democrats called it an “enemies list,” a reference to the Nixon White House, which kept a list of President Richard Nixon’s political op- ponents to be targeted with punitive measures. There was no reference to the Russia probe in a White House statement Wednesday in which Trump denounced Brennan’s criticism of him and spoke anxiously of “the risks posed by his erratic con- duct and behavior.” The presi- dent said he was fulfilling his “constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classi- fied information.” Trump, his statement read by his press secretary, ac- cused Brennan of having “lev- eraged his status as a former high-ranking official with ac- cess to highly sensitive infor- mation to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations, wild outbursts on the internet and television about this administration.” “Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct character- ized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly in- consistent with access to the nations’ most closely held se- crets,” Trump said. In the Journal interview, Trump said he was prepared to yank Brennan’s clearance last week but that it was too “hectic.” The president was on an extended working va- cation at his New Jersey golf club last week. Brennan has indeed been deeply critical of Trump’s conduct, calling his perfor- mance at a press confer- ence last month with Rus- sian President Vladimir Putin in Finland “nothing short of treasonous.” Brennan said Wednesday that he had not heard from the CIA or the Office of the Director of National Intelli- gence that his security clear- ance was being revoked, but learned it when the White House announced it. There is no requirement that a presi- dent has to notify top intelli- gence officials of his plan to revoke a security clearance. Trump’s statement said the Brennan issue raises larger questions about the practice of allowing former officials to maintain their security clear- ances, and said that others of- ficials’ were under review. They include Comey; James Clapper, the former di- rector of national intelligence; former CIA Director Michael Hayden; former national se- curity adviser Susan Rice; and Andrew McCabe, who served as Trump’s deputy FBI director until he was fired in March. Also on the list: fired FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was removed from the Russia in- vestigation over anti-Trump text messages; former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, with whom Strzok exchanged messages; and senior Justice Depart- ment official Bruce Ohr, whom Trump recently ac- cused on Twitter of “helping disgraced Christopher Steele ‘find dirt on Trump.’” Ohr was friends with Steele, the former British in- telligence officer commis- sioned by an American polit- ical research firm to explore Trump’s alleged ties with the Russian government. He is the only current government em- ployee on the list. At least two of the former officials, Comey and McCabe, do not currently have secu- rity clearances, and none of the eight receive intelligence briefings. Trump’s concern ap- parently is that their former status gives special weight to their statements, both to Americans and foreign foes. Former intelligence offi- cials said Trump has moved from threatening to revoke security clearances of former intelligence officials who have not been involved in the Russia investigation to former officials who did work on the probe. They spoke on condi- tion of anonymity to share private conversations Trump has had with people who have worked in the field. The CIA referred questions to the White House. Clapper, reacting on CNN, called Trump’s ac- tions “unprecedented,” but said he didn’t plan to stop speaking out. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s press secretary, in- sisted the White House was not targeting only Trump critics. But Trump did not order a review of the clear- ance held by former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired from the White House for lying to Vice Presi- dent Mike Pence about his conversations with Russian officials and later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Democrats, and even some Republicans, lined up to de- nounce the president’s move, with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democrat-Cali- fornia, slamming it as a “stun- ning abuse of power.” And California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence com- mittee, tweeted, “An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American.” Several Republicans also weighed in, with Sen. Bob Corker, Republican-Ten- nessee, saying, “Unless there’s something tangible that I’m unaware of, it just, as I’ve said before, feels like a ba- nana republic kind of thing.” FCC CHIEF TESTIFIES AFTER AGENCY MISLED PUBLIC WASHINGTON – Chairman Ajit Pai and other members of the Federal Communica- tions Commission went be- fore a congressional com- mittee Thursday for the first time since an internal in- vestigation found that the agency misled the public by claiming it had suffered a cyberattack last year. The claim was made after people experienced difficul- ties filing online comments regarding the future of net neutrality rules. Senate Commerce Com- mittee Chairman John Thune, Republican-South Da- kota, opened the hearing by stressing that it was “abso- lutely critical that the infor- mation provided to Congress and the American people be correct” regarding the issue. “I look forward to hearing how the commission will pre- vent such mistakes in the fu- ture,” the senator said. Earlier this month, the FCC’s inspector general re- leased a report that found the agency “misrepresented facts and provided misleading re- sponses to Congressional in- quiries” regarding an alleged cyberattack. The FCC had claimed that its online com- menting system malfunc- tioned after it had suffered multiple distributed denial- of-service attacks. © 2018, The Washington PostNext >