ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 HomeOptions Pay less for more cover with home insurance Save $250 with your first BritCay buildings insurance policy and a 10% car insurance discount . Many extra benefits, like $1 million liability insurance, are included in your cover. Ask for a quote! BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp 10% discount applies if you have buildings Insurance ‘NiCE’ worker arrested after stabbing A worker in the govern- ment’s community cleanup program sustained serious injuries after being stabbed by a colleague at the George Town landfill site Tuesday. A 19-year-old man from West Bay was arrested and is being held at the Cayman Islands Detention Centre. The victim was treated at the Cayman Islands Hospital where his injuries were de- scribed as serious but not life-threatening. Following the incident, government defended the clean-up program, known as NiCE, which gives opportu- nities to unemployed Cayma- nians to gain paid employ- ment for a short period. The Ministry of Com- merce, Planning and Infra- structure released a state- ment saying the incident would not affect the future of the program. “While today’s incident was unfortunate, over the past few years the NiCE program has given a second chance to hundreds of per- sons, including those with barriers to employment,” the Push for people’s port referendum JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Opponents of plans for new cruise piers in George Town harbor will begin col- lecting signatures Saturday in the hope of triggering a referendum on the contro- versial project. Cayman’s constitution al- lows for a “people initiated referendum” on any topic of national importance if a petition signed by 25 per- cent of the electorate is pre- sented to Cabinet. That means cam- paigners must collect at least 5,288 signatures based on the current list of regis- tered electors. Several individuals and community groups are said to be involved in the push for a referendum. Concerns around the cost of the piers and the environmental im- pact on reefs in and around George Town harbor have been cited among the key objections to the project. A new organization, Cruise Port Referendum Cayman, has been set up and Airport upgrade nears final stages JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The final beam on the dis- tinctive arch of Cayman’s new airport was lowered into place Tuesday, marking another mile- stone in the project. Politicians, airport bosses, construction workers and tourism business leaders signed the beam as part of a “topping out” ceremony. Airports CEO Albert Anderson said the event was a “time-hon- ored tradition” in the construc- tion industry. He paid tribute to the workers and others who had helped steer the project toward a December opening. He acknowledged there had been some “growing pains” along the way but said the end product would be a “world-class airport” that tripled capacity from its current size. Both PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » The beam, decorated with signatures and sporting Cayman flags, is dropped into place. Airport officials and government members signed the beam before it was put in place at a ‘topping out’ ceremony Tuesday. – PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) CRAZY RICH ASIANS (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 4:20 I 6:35 VIP I 9:55 ALPHA (PG13) 4:30 I 9:20 MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE FALLOUT (PG13) 1:00 I 6:30 CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (PG) 12:50 I 2:00 I 6:50 SLENDER MAN (PG13) 3:10 I 5:30 I 7:45 I 10:00 THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS (R) 3:25 I 5:40 I 7:55 I 10:10 MILE 22 (R) 12:50 I 4:10 I 9:45 THE MEG (PG13) 1:35 I 3:40 VIP I 7:10 I 9:25 VIP Pensions law ‘needs more teeth,’ magistrate says Progress made in three of four cases CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s National Pen- sions Law “needs more teeth,” Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez declared on Wednesday, when she heard updates on four cases of em- ployers charged with failing to make contributions to a pension plan for employees. In one case that has been before the court fo 10 years, she commented, “If we had more teeth, this kind of fool- ishness would not continue.” She described another case as a striking example of why the law needed teeth – because the employer did not seem to care about paying in a timely manner the monies owed. The morning got off to a positive start when at- torney Charmaine Richter appeared on behalf of Hurl- stone Ltd. She shared with Crown counsel Kenneth Fer- guson a document showing a particular property for sale. The indication was that the outstanding monies owed would be paid from pro- ceeds of the sale. Mr. Ferguson confirmed that the original amount owed was $469,024.92 and all had been paid except for $84,024,92. Ms. Richter asked for an adjournment until January 2019. The magistrate said she was happy to accede to the request, given the substan- tial payment made. The matter should be completed by then, since it had been going on since 2011, she noted. But un- like many of the other pen- sion cases she had before her, “I’m pleased with the progress made.” The magistrate next heard from attorney John Furniss on behalf of Donald Ira Thompson and Precision Landscaping, whose case first came to court in 2008. Mr. Furniss said his client had of- fered payment of CI$50,000 as far back as November 2015, but the Crown had rejected it. Mr. Ferguson said the least the Department of Labour and Pensions was prepared to ac- cept was $80,000. Both counsel referred to Mr. Thompson’s assertion that he had repaid workers who had since returned to Jamaica, but had done so directly and not through the department. Mr. Ferguson said the amount owed was $122,107.58. He said the Crown was trying to put money in the pockets of the workers concerned. The magistrate repeated that the law needed more teeth: “We need to get to our legis- lators,” she said. She pointed to court time wasted and the number of people who had been disadvantaged by em- ployers’ failure to pay pensions. “In any other form, we would call this theft,” she remarked. She set the matter for Sept. 20, which gave parties three weeks to sort things out. “I am looking for closure at that time,” she concluded. Mr. Furniss then called the matter of K-9 Security Ser- vice. The court was told that over $100,000 had been paid to the Department of Labour and Pensions. Mr. Furniss said his client was off island for medical reasons and the matter was set for mention again on Sept. 20. The final case was that of Brent Greene’s Gardening and Landscaping. Mr. Ferguson said the amount owed was “30-odd thousand dollars” out of the original sum of $46,914. The matter had been before the court since 2010. The mag- istrate commented that if the sum were a bank loan, it would have been paid by now. Mr. Greene, who did not have an attorney, referred to his other expenses and ex- plained that he did not have a regular monthly income. He billed his clients at the end of each month, but some- times did not receive payment until weeks later. “I just can’t pay till I get the money,” he said, adding, “I know that’s no excuse.” The magistrate asked if he owned his own home. Told yes, she asked if it had a mort- gage. Told no, she asked if Mr. Greene had considered taking out a loan to pay the pension balance. Mr. Greene indicated that he did not see much difference between paying a bank loan and paying the pension debt. The magistrate suggested he speak to his bankers. “I sug- gest you make some arrange- ment because you’re going to be sentenced on Sept. 20.” Record amount raised to benefit church/hurricane shelter More than $13,000 was raised in Sunday’s West Bay SDA Church 5K Walk/Run to provide money for a new sanctuary at West Bay Ad- ventist Church, which will double as a hurricane shelter. Construction is expected to be completed in November, at which time the church plans to host an unveiling ceremony. The 225 members of the congregation have been holding services at John A. Cumber Primary School since 2005, as construction proceeds on the project. Although 301 people paid to participate in the event, just 138 actually hit the pavement at Ed Bush Sta- dium. Nevertheless, the an- nual event raised a record amount of money. $4,515 was raised from entry fees for the race – an amount that was matched by an unnamed donor. Other, smaller dona- tions brought the total to more than $13,000. The top three winners in the men’s division, in order, were Anthony Mendez, Paul Williams, and Cornelis Gouwn. Ava Hider won the women’s division, followed by Doireann Lynch, and Shellyanne Cupid. Pastor Reinaldo Dracket said a portion of the pro- ceeds will go toward schol- arships for Cayman Academy. BOAT FORFEITED OVER FOUR POUNDS OF GANJA CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who said he went to Jamaica to buy a boat had the boat forfeited on his return to Cayman because a crew member had four pounds of ganja. Dencle Vic Barnes, 49, and Marvin Campbell, 27, were charged with importing ganja after an incident that occurred some time after 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2017. Crown counsel Emma Hutchinson outlined the facts when Mr. Barnes was sen- tenced last month and again on Monday when Mr. Camp- bell was sentenced. She told Magistrate Grace Donalds that police carried out an investigation after two males were observed aboard a blue and white Jamaican canoe off the coast of Bodden Town. Later, 4.3 pounds of ganja was found aboard. Mr. Barnes was the captain and Mr. Campbell was crew. The Crown’s case was that Mr. Barnes had recruited Mr. Campbell, who was seen at the front of the boat. When interviewed, Mr. Campbell said the 4.3 pounds of ganja belonged to him. He also told police that about 100 pounds of ganja had been thrown overboard. In court, Mr. Campbell gave evidence that he had invented the story of 100 pounds of ganja because he was frightened at the time of the interview. He said he thought he would be tortured because that was what “they” did in Jamaica. He said he was in the boat only to help bring it to Cayman. Mr. Barnes also told police that he recruited Mr. Camp- bell to help bring the boat to Cayman. He apologized for not checking with the man about his documentation. The magistrate found that the boat had been used to import the ganja, and she ordered it be forfeited to the Crown. The magistrate in- dicated that, as captain, Mr. Barnes was responsible for the ganja. She also noted his previous ganja-related con- victions, sentencing him to nine months of imprison- ment for importing ganja and a further six months, consec- utive, for human smuggling – bringing Mr. Campbell to Cayman without authoriza- tion from immigration au- thorities. Defense attorney John Meghoo spoke in mit- igation for Mr. Campbell, describing him as a naive 27-year-old who had “no edu- cational history whatsoever.” The Crown had accepted Mr. Campbell, who is from West- moreland, had no previous convictions in Cayman. His client was impres- sionable, Mr. Meghoo told the court, and had been prom- ised Ja$200,000, the equiv- alent of US$12,500, “which he did not receive and never will receive.” He asked for a concurrent sentence on the charge of illegal landing. The magistrate noted Mr. Campbell’s guilty pleas and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment for importing ganja and one month concurrent for illegal landing. She said time in custody would be taken into account and deducted from the total to be served. The top three in the walk/run pose, from right, in order of placement, Anthony Mendez, Ava Hider and Paul Williams. Runners take off as the 5K race begins Sunday at the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 Clean Choice. Monopoly Pricing Price Drop with Clean Gas *Clean Gas competitive pricing has resulted in lower rates, depending on tank size, from 33%-40%. Call 233-4427 or order your tank refills online at cleangas.ky Lower propane prices are a Clean choice. Did you know? Stop paying old monopoly prices. Since Clean Gas has entered the market, propane prices have dropped 40%*. Uncle Bob Road named after sea captain JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedia Uncle Bob Road in West Bay recognizes a fa- mous West Bayer. Located just pass “Sticky Toffee Lane,” heading into Morgan’s Harbour, Uncle Bob Road was known years ago by the people that lived there as “Pappy Bobby” land. Uncle Bob’s son, the late El- bert Jackson, named the road in memory of his deceased fa- ther Robert Clark Jackson, a fisherman and turtle catcher. Born on Nov. 24, 1875 to par- ents Joseph William and Jane Mary Jackson, Bob went on to marry Rachel Ann Jackson. The couple had 11 children. He died on April 10, 1954. Uncle Bob played a vital part in the local turtling in- dustry, a Caymanian mainstay. “Grandfather was a man of determination and great willpower,” said Uncle Bob’s 80-year-old grandson William “Kem” Jackson. “He was named one of Cay- man’s best turtling fishermen, who sailed mate on the Gold- field on Latin America voyages between Honduras and Nica- ragua in search of green sea turtles,” he said. The Goldfield was built in 1930 by the Arch Brothers as a turtle schooner for Conwell Watler. As well as being used to carry turtles, the Goldfield also hauled cargo and passengers from Cayman to Florida. “Wooden ships and iron men” is what Cayman fish- ermen were called, said Kem Jackson. “Fishing was not just a means of livelihood but woven into the very fabric of the people.” Kem Jackson, who is known as a builder of catboats, learned the skills of building and repairing catboats at the hands of his grandfather. Another of Robert Jackson’s sons, the late William Leslie Jackson, once lived at the en- trance to Uncle Bob Road. There are several family homes down the road nowa- days. Kem Jackson’s home is a sprawling, ranch-like home with wide, manicured lawns. Uncle Bob’s wife Rachel Ann also has a road named in her honor down the lane. Gazing out his front porch at the vast expanse of a well- maintained lawn that was once part of his grandfather’s estate, Kem Jackson recalls making trips with his grandfather to the little, white sand beach at the end of Uncle Bob Road to swim or watch the turtle crawl. “All the dredging destroyed it,” he said. “There was a time when everyone in West Bay was fa- miliar with the name Uncle Bob,” he said. “After all, he was a bona fide sea captain of great strength, who made sure things got done around the home and provided for the home by bringing home the day’s catch of conch, lobsters, fish, turtle and other grub for the family.” He remembers well what it was like growing up in the area: “There were lots of sweetsop trees and cows around grandfather’s house. I recall people coming from all over the island to collect sweet- sops from the trees. “Papa Bob made the big- gest impact in my life. He was stern and full of discipline, but he made me into the man I am today by instilling his good work ethic in me.” Kem Jackson, the grandson of the late Robert Clark Jackson, stands at Uncle Bob Road, named by his deceased father Elbert Jackson in honor of Elbert’s father. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY 50 YEARS AGO FIRST DRAUGHT BEER SOLD; 22 STUDENT PILOTS FOR FLYING SCHOOL In the June 13, 1968 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, a photo and caption on page 2 announcing some major breaking news for the Cayman Islands appeared – the sale of the first glasses of draught beer. The caption read: “Sampling the first mugs of cold draught beer from the Lowen- brau dispenser at the Cayman Arms are, left to right, Sandys Sherwood, Richard Shorter, the representative for Lowen- brau Brewery, Rudy Selzer and Glennis Sherwood. Cheers! “The dispenser at the Cayman Arms installed last Monday morning is the very first to serve draught beer on Cayman.” Another story addressed the intake of student pilots for Cay- man’s new flying school, which had opened the previous June. “Cayman Flying Services announce that the first class of student pilots has reached its full complement and no new students will be accepted will be accepted until a new class begins, probably in ten to twelve weeks. “The interest and enthu- siasm for pilot training has exceeded all expectations and many hours a day Owen Roberts Airport is the scene of touch-and-go landings and increasingly more con- cise traffic patterns and more confident radio conversation with the tower. “Concurrently, the twenty- two students meet weekly in Ground School classes where they study, take exams and dis- cuss problems. “Those enrolled are: David Foster, Derek Price, John Maples, Charles Seaman, Jill Bodden, Maurice Muse, Billy Adam, Graham Ebanks, Dr. Roger Parrish, Sandys Sherwood, Harrison Both- well, Zoe Bodden, Leonel Wood, Ned Solomon, Mike Adam, Carlton Bodden, Colin Panton, Peter Mil- burn, Ken Spraggon, Asteo Bodden, Gurney Panton and William Turner.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Ten weeks after he was “temporarily withdrawn” from his post, there still is no word from or about Governor Anwar Choudhury. The last official utterance on the matter was an Aug. 2 demurral from Lord Ahmad, the minister for the British Overseas Territories, who wrote that it would be “inappropriate” for him to comment on an ongoing investigation. When asked by a Compass reporter last week, Head of the Governor’s Office Matthew Forbes said he had “nothing further” to add. Adding “nothing further” to “nothing at all” doesn’t add up to any relevant comment whatsoever. But the passage of time has not slowed the rumor mill which is as busy as ever, churning out theories about what might have happened, what is preventing the conclusion of the investigation and what the ultimate outcome will be. The longer this issue remains unresolved, the greater the reputational damage that continues to accrue – certainly to Governor Choudhury but also to the U.K. and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). One scenario, suggested to us by a correspon- dent, is that FCO officials may feel “cornered” by strong public sentiment for (and against) reinstating the governor, and they may seek a “painless” solution to their dilemma by offering Mr. Choudhury an early retirement with full benefits (he’s currently 59 years old). That sounds reasonable – but only if Governor Choudhury were to accept the deal. Frankly, we would not. Unless the U.K. is in possession of “smoking- gun evidence” that would convince a judge, jury or whatever the proper tribunal might be, Governor Choudhury may have a better hand to play by pursuing a defamation or libel action, rather than pas- sively accepting an early retirement deal. Certainly his reputation has been sullied by the very fact of his removal, presumably precipitated by a number of unexplained “complaints” by anonymous “complainants.” Anyone who regularly reads this newspaper knows that we have been railing for years against anonymity, which we believe is the handmaiden of irresponsibility, unaccountability and too often cowardice. If there are, in fact, formal complaints against Governor Choudhury, then the identities of those who made them need to be revealed, and the complaints themselves need to be put into the public domain or repackaged into formal charges. Even in instances so incendiary as the Harvey Wein- stein Hollywood sex scandals or the Stormy Daniels accusations against President Trump, the accusers are named and their accusations are known. Silence on the part of public officials is too often a tool – not to protect the “privacy” of the accused, as Lord Ahmad suggested in his early August remarks – but as a mechanism to protect the accusers themselves. As the monthly pages of the calendar continue to turn without a meaningful word from local and U.K. officials regarding the unceremonious removal of Governor Choudhury, the complaints or charges against him, the time line of the so-called “investiga- tion,” or his whereabouts and fate – the more we are reminded of the ignominious affair known as Operation Tempura in which the U.K. cavalierly (shamefully in our view) proceeded to issue sanctimonious statements while it simultaneously was attempting to destroy the reputations and, by proxy, the lives of innocent par- ticipants, most notably former Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan. (Fortunately, Mr. Kernohan had the grit, the anger – and a committed team of lawyers – to ensure that a modicum of justice would eventually prevail.) It is not unreasonable to contemplate whether the same arrogant mindset that engendered and enabled Operation Tempura is again taking hold in the Choud- hury matter. We are reminded of the slogan of The Washington Post, which is printed daily on its masthead. It reads: “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” Tick-tock goes the Choudhury clock: Where is our governor? THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Questions for Kavanaugh WASHINGTON – Senate Re- publicans and Democrats are at daggers drawn over confirmation of Brett Ka- vanaugh to the Supreme Court. Instead, they should unsheathe some questions designed to illuminate the excitement of constitu- tional reasoning. The Constitution vests in Congress the power to tax. Presidents, however, unilaterally impose taxes (tariffs) because Congress has delegated to presidents vast discretion in imposing protectionism. Should the court protect the separa- tion of powers by enforcing on Congress a non-delega- tion doctrine? In the 1905 Lochner case, the court struck down a state law limiting bakers’ work hours because it in- fringed workers’ and em- ployers’ liberty interest in making consensual con- tracts. Assuming, as is patent, that this law was rent-seeking by unionized bakers and bakeries – that it was written to protect their interests, not public health and safety – was Lochner correctly decided? Dissenting in Lochner, Oliver Wendell Holmes said the Constitution “does not enact Mr. Herbert Spencer’s ‘Social Statics,’” a book ad- vocating laissez faire eco- nomic policies. However, be- cause laissez faire is what freedom looks like in eco- nomic life, is there some sense in which the Consti- tution, the purpose of which is to enable a free society, does foster it? In 1958, the court inval- idated, as an infringement of freedom of association, an Alabama law targeting the NAACP by requiring disclosure of organizations’ membership lists. The court said anonymity was neces- sary to shield NAACP sup- porters from dangers. Given today’s instances of indi- viduals injured because of their political affiliations, are mandatory disclosure laws problematic? Are there constitu- tional limits on the admis- sions policies that public colleges and universities can use to ensure “diverse” student bodies? The 1978 Bakke case in- volving racial preferences in admissions said that race can be a “plus” factor for certain government- preferred minorities. Are there constitutional prin- ciples controlling decisions about which groups are to be preferred and about tai- loring preferences? In 2003, when the court affirmed the constitu- tionality of racial prefer- ences in university admis- sions, Sandra Day O’Connor, writing for the majority, hoped such preferences would be unnecessary in 25 years. So, do they become unconstitutional in 2028? William Rehnquist was an early and vehement critic of the court’s 1966 Mi- randa decision that created the right of arrested per- sons to be notified of their right to counsel and their right to remain silent. He said the Constitution does not require this, which im- pedes effective policing. But when a 2000 case gave the court an opportunity to re- verse Miranda, Rehnquist wrote for the majority in upholding it, 7-2: “Miranda has become embedded in routine police practice to the point where the warn- ings have become part of our national culture. While we have overruled our prec- edents when subsequent cases have undermined their doctrinal underpin- nings, we do not believe that this has happened to the Miranda decision.” Does similar reasoning apply to Roe v. Wade? In Roe, the court distin- guished different degrees of abortion rights in the three trimesters of pregnancy. What would the constitu- tional law of abortion be if the number of months in the gestation of a human in- fant were a prime number (e.g., 7 or 11)? What principles should limit stare decisis (“to stand by things decided” – respect for precedents)? In its 2005 Kelo decision concerning the Takings Clause (“nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation”), the court said government can seize property for the “public use” of transferring it to wealthier private interests who will pay more taxes to the government. Does this precedent merit much re- spect? Is it pertinent that Kelo was decided 5-4? In 1995, the court ruled, 5-4, that a state cannot limit by statute the number of terms members of the U.S. House of Representa- tives or Senate from the state can serve because such term limits create “ad- ditional qualifications” for such offices beyond those enumerated in the Consti- tution. Clarence Thomas, dissenting, said: The Con- stitution, which only sets minimum eligibility re- quirements, is silent about the state’s power to set term limits, and its silence is no bar to actions by the states or people. Given the states’ reserved powers af- firmed by the 10th Amend- ment, they “can exercise all powers that the Constitu- tion does not withhold from them.” Was Thomas correct? Finally, to serve the government’s interest in a healthy workforce, and its interest in minimizing the substantial effect of healthcare costs on the na- tion’s commercial vitality, could Congress, under its power to regulate inter- state commerce, require Americans to eat their broc- coli? If not, what principle limits Congress’ Commerce Clause power? George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. - PHOTO: RICKY CARIOTI/WASHINGTON POST 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 conyersdill.com 2018 SUMMER INTERNS 2018 LEGAL EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENTS RECOGNISING EXCEPTIONAL TALENT WITHIN THE CAYMAN COMMUNITY. Showcasing our Summer Interns and our Conyers Legal Education Award Recipients. Elijah Samson, Tajera Mullings and Shirly Ramirez-Allan Aaron DaCosta and Mark Plowright Paul Smith (Partner), Selena McLaughlin, Ashley DaCosta and Gene DaCosta (Partner) has launched a Facebook page to spread the word. In a statement sent to the Cayman Compass, the group said, “The Petition for Ref- erendum on the proposed Cruise Berthing Facility is a grassroots initiative of con- cerned citizens who believe that the issue of the pro- posed Cruise Berthing Fa- cility is a matter of national importance and that the fi- nancial, socioeconomic and environmental costs should be examined and weighed carefully by the people of the Cayman Islands.” It adds, “We call on our government to act with transparency towards its people, in the best interest of our country and all its citizens and residents, and to make full disclosures of all pertinent information relating to the proposed Cruise Berthing Facility to date, including full disclo- sure of the Final Business Case Study, an updated En- vironmental Impact Assess- ment and other studies and reports, which consider the modifications to the original design and proposed cargo facilities, and projected costs and financing model details, to allow us – the citizens of the Cayman Is- lands – to make an informed decision about our future via referendum.” There are strict rules around how signatures are collected and recorded and there will be no online ver- sion of the petition, though there is a process for over- seas voters to submit electronically. According to the Cayman Islands Elections Office website, the total number of registered electors on July 1 was 21,150, meaning 5,288 people would be re- quired to sign the petition to force referendum. In the referendum it- self, at least 50 percent of registered voters – 10,576 people based on current numbers – would need to turn out and vote against the cruise berthing project for the result to be binding on government. Gabriella Hernandez, of Save Cayman, one of the groups supporting the refer- endum effort, said the cam- paign was backed by a va- riety of concerned citizens. She added, “We support this community initiative to give the people a chance to exercise their democratic right by explicitly stating their support or rejection for proceeding with this project that poses significant so- cioeconomic and environ- mental risks that will im- pact us for generations.” Opposition politicians have also launched a sepa- rate campaign calling for government to voluntarily hold a referendum on the issue. Opposition leader Ez- zard Miller tabled a private members’ motion on the issue, which will be debated in the Legislative Assembly next week. If that motion fails he said he would sup- port grassroots efforts for a people’s referendum. Government is currently in the final stages of a bid- ding process and has short- listed three conglomerates bidding to design, finance, build and maintain the fa- cility in return for a share of the revenue stream it brings. The Ministry of Tourism took out a full-page adver- tisement in the Cayman Compass this week de- fending its transparency re- cord on the project. It said it had released as much information as pos- sible without jeopardizing ongoing negotiations and had published multiple re- ports including an outline business case study. The advertisement warned that if Cayman does not build the piers, “We risk losing a large percentage of our cruise tourism industry.” Asked about the push for a referendum this week, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said in a state- ment, “The process for a ref- erendum is enshrined in the Constitution, which is the highest law of the land and contains the rules and prin- ciples for the governance of this country. The Cayman Is- lands Constitution clearly articulates the process for initiating a referendum; the result of which would be binding on government.” Only registered voters can be counted in the peti- tion for a referendum. A sep- arate version of the petition is also available to those who are not eligible to vote, including Caymanians under 18 and residents, though that version will serve only as a demonstration of public opinion and is not binding to the government. The Cruise Port Refer- endum Cayman group will be collecting signatures at Hurley’s supermarket in Grand Harbour, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The group said it would an- nounce further locations and dates in the near future and volunteers will also go door to door with copies of the petition in districts on all three islands. For more information, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ cprcayman or to volunteer contact cprcayman@gmail.com. Push for people’s port referendum PRINCIPALS: IMPLEMENTING DRESS CODE GOING SMOOTHLY MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Despite reports to the con- trary, Clifton Hunter High School Principal Pauline Beck- ford said no students have been sent home from her school for dress code violations. A posting on Facebook showed a picture of a young man with close-cropped hair and claimed he had been sent home from the school for vio- lating the new dress code is- sued last week by the Ministry of Education. Ms. Beckford said in disci- plining the student in question on another matter, she men- tioned that his hair did not meet the new requirements, which call for male student to have short hair “in keeping with the cultural norms of the Cayman Islands.” The student’s hair she said, was cut close on the sides but had a “dollop” on top. She said the student was taken from the school by a parent in order to get a haircut and was expected to return the same day. Attempts to reach the boy’s family for comment were unsuccessful. Schools are having to deal with the implementation of the new guidelines, but both Ms. Beckford and John Gray High School Principal Jonathan Clark said things are going rela- tively smoothly. “It’s the first week back and I want to apply some emotional intelligence on this,” Ms. Beck- ford said, adding the school is working to inform students and parents on the new rules. Mr. Clark said there are not that many changes. “Before, you were allowed to wear a stud earring,” he said, noting that no jewelry is al- lowed now other than wrist watches. “Before the skirt could be just above the knee, so that’s changed.” Skirts now have to be below the knee. Students are being in- formed about the new guide- lines – which also call for boys’ pants to be worn waist high, shirts to be tucked in, shoes to be all black, and no makeup or nail polish – during the first week of school. After that, he said, he and his staff will start “cranking up the pressure” on enforcing the code. “We’re trying to apply some common sense,” he said. Ms. Beckford explained how the three-strikes provision on en- forcement will work: Strike one: The student and, possibly, the parent would be spoken to. Strike two: Detention. Strike three: Suspension with a required parent conference. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, AUG. 30 EAST END MEETING: The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a District Community Meeting at 7 p.m. at the East End Presbyterian Church Hall. The meeting is open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend in order to express concerns and ask questions. Refreshments will be served. LITTLE CAYMAN VEHICLES: Vehicle licensing. 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Little Cayman District Office. BRAC COURT: Summary Court today and tomorrow. Aston Rutty Civic Centre. FRIDAY, AUG. 31 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. Screenings are 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. PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION: Last day to enter. 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. Organized by the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. SATURDAY, SEPT. 1 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE: Today is the submission deadline for the Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. Visit www. businessexcellenceawards.ky to apply. THURSDAY, SEPT. 6 THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: Presented by the Cayman Drama Society at Prospect Playhouse. Opens tonight and continues Sept. 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open 6:30 p.m. Matinees Sunday Sept. 9 and 16 at 4 p.m. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets Adults $25, Students $15. Tickets available online at www.cds.ky. FRIDAY, SEPT. 7 LIQUOR LICENCES: Liquor Licence holders of Cayman Brac & Little Cayman, including Music and Dancing Licences, are reminded that today is the deadline to submit renewal applications. The annual Liquor Licence Meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the District Administration Conference Room, 10 a.m. Licensees must submit all applications and supporting documents, including inspection approvals, to the DCI Office in Cayman Brac, or to the 2nd Floor of the District Admin Building, Cayman Brac. All licensing fees are to be paid to the Treasury Department, District Admin Building, Stake Bay. SATURDAY, SEPT. 8 WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arts & Recreation Centre. This will be the first weightlifting competition in Cayman and open to weightlifters of all ages, weight classes and skill levels who could represent the Cayman Islands for future Olympic competitions. SUNDAY, SEPT. 9 RUGBY 5K: 6:30-8 a.m. Camana Bay Town Centre. Help raise funds for the Cayman National Rugby 7s team and promote family wellness by participating in this 5K. Walk, run, cycle or use scooter, skateboard, rollerblades or even taking little ones on the run in their stroller. The cost is $15 for kids ages 8-12 and $20 for teens and adults. Contact Robbie.Cribb@ rawlinson-hunter.com.ky WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12 THE BOOKENDS CLUB: 6:30-7:30 p.m., Books & Books at Camana Bay. Join The Bookends Club as they review their latest pick, “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood. Come share insights and impressions in open discussion. The Bookends Club gathers on the second Wednesday of every month and new members are always welcome. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 CLAY WORKSHOP: Visual Arts Society studio at Pedro St. James. Today and tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee is $150 for members, $175 for non-members. Includes terra cotta clay, glazes, firing, use of tools & studio plus light lunch and beverage. Limited space. Register at workshops@ visualartcayman.com. SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 5K FOR RECOVERY: Hope Foundation sponsors this 5K walk/run to traise funds for the residential recovery program. Start at Seven Mile Public Beach. Wa;l, 6 a.m. Run, 6:30 a.m. Tickets n$10 from Brent, 928-9099; or Chris, 938-0095. GENERAL INTEREST LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Wednesdays and Saturdays at Camana Bay. A produce- only market featuring local farmers. Located in Heliconia Court (the new courtyard next to the building with Scotiabank in). 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. UK SCHOLARSHIPS: The Chevening Secretariat is accepting applications for U.K. Government scholarships to study in the U.K. in 2019/2020. Applications for Chevening Scholarships are open until Nov. 6, 2018, with applications to be submitted via www.chevening.org/ apply. Visit www.chevening. org/apply/guidance for detailed information on the eligibility criteria and scholarship specifications. Contact Gill Skinner on 244- 2431 or gillian.skinner@fco. gov.uk 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 due for the period ending June 30. In Grand Cayman, payments can be made at any post office or the DEH main office, 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. NEW THRIFT SHOP: One Dog At A Time has launched its “New To You” Thrift Shop. Open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the summer. The shop is at Unit 26 at the warehouses on Bodden Road, which runs down the side of Kirk Home Store to the old screen print place. EARLY CHILDHOOD FEES: The Ministry of Education provides financial assistance for Caymanian children between 3 and 4 years of age before Sept. 1, 2018, to assist with fees at an early childhood center between September and June 30. Application forms can be downloaded from www. education.gov.ky or collected from the Government Administration Building, the Department of Education Services and all early childhood centers. Contact Renee Barnes at 244-5735, Turnette Stewart at 244- 5724 or email ecap@gov.ky. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 or Ceramics. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes, and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register email info@visualartcayman.com 546-9422. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www. caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail. com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www. overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@ adacyman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. The local contact is George R. Ebanks, 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen at 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www. rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www. caymancompass.com/events. The Diary of Anne Frank presented by the Cayman Drama Society opens next week at Prospect Playhouse.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 LIQUOR LICENSING QUARTERLY SESSION Thursday, 13 September 2018, at 10:00am, Government Administration Building, Room 1038, Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - REVISED AGENDA- 4. Variations 5. Renewals For further details on renewals please visit www.dci.gov.ky; and/or the Cayman Islands Gazette. 6 . Closed Deliberations 7. Announcement of Decisions 8. Adjournment ____________________________________ Shelise Jeffery - Business Licensing Officer II Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman Any member of the public who wishes to object to the aforementioned must do so in writing to the Chairman at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting. Anyone who has given to the Chairman seven days’ notice of objection may also appear and ask for the revocation or discontinuance of any existing license. 1. Confirmation of minutes: Minutes of the 26th of June 2018 2. Grant applications: Applicants shall attend before the Board at the time of the opening of the sessions and such other times as the Board may require and may, in addition, be represented by a person qualified to practise law in the Islands. A) SALTWATER GRILL LTD Business: RESTAURANT Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 12E Parcel 68, Unit 1-3 Galleria Plaza, 638 West Bay Road B) BLUE CILANTRO LTD. Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 64A, Parcel 169, Heron Place, High Rock, East End, C) CAYMAN SPIRITS COMPANY LTD. Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) Location: Block 13D, Parcel 440, 68 Bronze Road, George Town, D) 1981 BREWING COMPANY LIMITED Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 20B, Parcel 210, 273 Dorcy Drive, George Town, E) GARTH CLARKE T/A BARMETRICS Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 38B, Parcel 515, Gladstone Close, Bodden Town F) OUR HOUSE CAYMAN LTD. T/A THE HARBOUR GRILLE RESTAURANT Business: RESTAURANT Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 22E, Parcel 273H5-H10, Cayman Grand Harbour Shoppes Ltd, George Town, G) LOLA VENTURES LTD T/A AROMA Business: RESTAURANT Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 15D, Parcel 55, Camana Bay, The Paseo, Block 2, Building 1A & C, George Town, H) MATTEW WIGHT, PREMIER WINES AND SPIRIT Business: RETAIL (TASTING) Location: Block 12E, Parcel 83, Unit 1&2, West Shore Centre, Unit 1 & 2, West Bay Road, George Town, I) MV ADVISORY LTD. Business: RETAIL Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 13B, Parcel 124REM1, Margaritaville Resort, 269 West Bay Road, George Town, J) BARCAM (CAYMAN LTD. Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 23C, Parcel 30 Rem, 72 Arterial Way, Prospect, George Town, K) SEAN MOYLE T/A CULTURE RUM Business: DISTRIBUTOR Location: Block 20C, Parcel 148, 145 Barcadere Warehouse Park, Unit 108, David Foster Drive, George Town, L) PALM SUNRISE LTD. Business: RESTAURANT Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 12C, Parcel 27, West Bay Road South, George Town, M) BANDIDOS CANTINA LTD. Business: RESTAURANT Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 13B, Parcel 154, #30 & 31 Seven Mile Shops West Bay Road, West Bay, N) CHRISTINA MCTAGGART T/A ART NEST CAYMAN Business: RETAIL Location: Block 20B, Parcel 374, #131 MacLendon Drive, George Town, O) IMAGINE CAYMAN LTD. T/A SAND BAR Business: RETAIL Business: PACKAGE Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) Business: RETAIL (VESSEL) Business: MUSIC AND DANCING (VESSEL) Location: Block OPY, Parcel 189 & 193, Balboa Beach, 190 North Church Street, George Town, P) CF GC SUNSHINE LTD. T/A SUNSHINE SUITES Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 11D, Parcel 37/1, Sunshine Suites, Seven Mile Beach, West Bay, 3. Ratification of Section 13 Decisions A) Suladda May, The Attic Licence No.: R125-274 and MD162 Application: Vary licensee of Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences from Joseph De Filippo to Suladda May Decision: Approved B) Paolo Polloni, Ristorante Pizzeria Ragazzi Licence No.: R110-259 and MD140 Application: Vary Music & Dancing Licences from Retail to Restaurant category Decision: Approved C) S.E.S. Investments Ltd T/A Hemingways Licence No.: T22-130 and MD107 Application: Vary Music & Dancing Licences from Retail to Restaurant category Decision: Approved D) 1981 Brewing Company Limited Licence No.: 0117D Business: Vary location to Block 20B, Parcel 210, 273 Dorcy Drive, George Town Decision: Approved E) Ginos Ltd., Ginos Pizzeria Licence No.: 0517R Application: Vary Liquor Licence’s conditions to include delivery services Decision: Refused F) Dianne Parsons, Casa 43 Licence No.: T19-127 and MD69 Application: Vary licensee’s name from Fleiger to Parsons on Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences Decision: Approved G) HHG Advisory Services Ltd., Margaritaville Resort Licence No.: 0117H and 0117MDH Application: Vary licensee of Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences from HHG Advisory Services Limited to MV Advisory Ltd. Decision: Approved H) Batabano (Cayman) Limited Licence No.: 01/18 Application: Occasional Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences for Jouvert Parade event on April 14, 2018 at Sparky Drive, George Town Decision: Approved I) Batabano (Cayman) Limited Licence No.: 02/18 Application: Occasional Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences for Cayman Batabano event on May 5, 2018 at Harbor Drive, George Town Decision: Approved J) Raymond Bush, Fidel Murphy’s Licence No.: R47-196 and MD67 Application: Vary premises to include additional unit, B5 and B10 Decision: Approved K) The Cayman Rugby Football Union Licence No.: 03/18 Application: Occasional Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences for Cayman Big Game 9 Match, on June 9, 2018 at Truman Bodden Stadium, George Town Decision: Approved L) The Cayman Rugby Football Union Licence No.: 04/18 Application: Occasional Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences for Cayman Big Game 10 Match, on June 23, 2018 at Truman Bodden Stadium, George Town Decision: Approved M) KHRG Cayman LLC T/A Kimpton Seafire Hotel Licence No.: H05-24, P76-386 and MD61 Application: Vary the hotel’s Liquor and Music & Dancing Licences’ premises to include Tiki Beach Decision: Approved N) Ocean International Ltd. T/A Cayman Aggressor V Licence No.: R74-223 and MD96 Application: Vary licensee from Wayne Hasson Jr. to Ocean’s International Ltd.; and vary premises from vessel Cayman Aggressor IV to Cayman Aggressor V Decision: Approved O) The Lodge Ltd. Licence No.: R225-377 and MD90 Application: Vary licensee from Harmukhdev Lalli to The Lodge Ltd. Decision: Approved P) Alexander Frazer, The South Sound Squash Club Licence No.: R30-179 Application: Vary licensee from Eva Jacques to Alexander Frazer Decision: Approved Q) Christopher Brown, The Location Event Planners Licence No.: R08-157 and MD15 Business: Reactivate and vary licence location to Block 4D, Parcel, 454H8, Apt. 8, 78 Simion Cresent, West Bay, Decision: Approved R) Antonio Crescente, Casanova’s Licence No.: T10-118 and MD32 Application: Vary the Liquor and Music & Dancing Licence premises to include beach seating area Decision: Approved S) Matthew Wight, Premier Wines and Spirits Licence No.: R150-299 Application: Vary the Retail (Tasting) Liquor Licence to package category Decision: Approved T) Maria Forman, Harbour Heights Licence No.: P22-64 Application: Vary the Retail (Tasting) Liquor Licence to package category Decision: Approved U) Cayman Islands Softball Association Licence No.: 05/18 Application: Occasional Liquor Licence for International Softball Tournaments, on August 31 to September 2 2018 at the Field of Dreams, George Town Decision: Approved V) Anello Crescente, Comfort Suites Licence No.: H08-27 and MD47 Application: Vary Liquor and Music and Dancing Licences licensee from Gary Rutty to Anello Crescente Decision: Approve Mr. Anderson and Tourism Min- ister Moses Kirkconnell have acknowledged the project will exceed its initial $55 million budget. Asked about potential overruns Tuesday, Mr. Anderson said the final cost of the airport would not be revealed until ne- gotiations with contractors were concluded. Mr. Kirkconnell told the Cayman Compass that some of the additional costs were as- sociated with extra features added to the design as more funds became available. Mr. Kirkconnell, speaking earlier to a gallery of well- wishers amid the sound of ar- riving planes and construction work continuing in the back- ground, congratulated the air- ports authority on delivering the revamped airport without the need for government to borrow money. The renovation has been largely funded through airport revenues. Mr. Kirkcon- nell introduced some of the key players in the project and said the opening of the airport in De- cember would be the perfect re- sponse to critics. “A lot of people criticize every day and talk about the air- port is not big enough, it needs jet bridges, it will never be fin- ished, it is going to cost too much. That is what they do, they talk. The people I just introduced work and that is the reason we are going to have a ribbon cutting for this airport in De- cember,” he said. Next month will see the ex- pansion of the Immigration Hall and the opening of the final sec- tion of the departure lounge. The completion of the meet-and- greet area in the Arrivals Hall, including a tourism booth, is ex- pected in October. The distinctive arch for the grand entry hall will be completed in November, with the southern arch, on the air side, likely to be com- pleted in December. statement read. “While Government seeks to provide a structure within which NiCE participants can benefit from a productive expe- rience it is incumbent on each one to take advantage of this opportunity to the fullest. Many have done so in the past and this year’s program will con- tinue as planned.” The statement goes on to say the program has a strict code of conduct for be- havior of workers and “zero tol- erance” for antisocial behavior. Around 460 people signed up for the NiCE program, which pays unemployed Cayma- nians and spouses of Cayma- nians $10 an hour for at least one week’s work. ‘NiCE’ worker arrested CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Airport nears final stages CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Court overturns firearm conviction CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Michael Fernando Jefferson, 25, was released from cus- tody on Wednesday after the Cayman Islands Court of Ap- peal overturned his conviction for possession of firearms. Senior Crown counsel Ni- cole Petit asked the court to order a retrial and president Sir John Goldring did so, saying it was “in the interest of justice.” He said the court would give its reasons for quashing the conviction in writing. Mr. Jefferson was found guilty after trial last year of having an unlicensed .38 Bryco pistol and two rounds of am- munition at his residence on June 11, 2015. He received the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. Attorney Philip Rule ar- gued several grounds of ap- peal, but the court asked Ms. Petit to respond to only one issue – police evidence of an alleged confession. The officer had given evi- dence that, while he was with Mr. Jefferson in the yard, the suspect had told him he had the gun for protection. The officer said he did not make a note because his notebook was in the police vehicle, and he did not tell the officer re- sponsible for logging details of the search warrant opera- tion because she was inside the house. He said he forgot when he went back to the sta- tion to write his statement, but he remembered in the middle of the night and told his colleagues the first thing in the morning. Mr. Jefferson denied making that confession. Ms. Petit said there was other evidence on which the de- fendant could be tried and not be prejudiced. She also asked that Mr. Jef- ferson be remanded pending a bail hearing, but Mr. Rule pointed out that his client had been on bail for at least a year between his arrest and trial. Justice Goldring told the appellant, “You’re free to go, Mr. Jefferson.” The appeal was heard by Justices Richard Field and Denis Morrison, along with the president.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LONDON (AP) – The U.K. and the European Union may not meet their self-imposed Oc- tober deadline for a divorce deal, Britain’s Brexit minister said Wednesday. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said October remains the goal, but there is a “possibility it may creep beyond that.” He told a House of Lords com- mittee that the two sides were aiming for October, “but there is some measure of leeway.” Britain and the EU aim to hammer out an agree- ment on divorce terms and future trade by a European Council summit in October so that it can be approved by individual EU countries before the U.K. leaves the bloc on March 29. But talks have stalled amid divisions within Brit- ain’s Conservative govern- ment over how close an eco- nomic relationship to seek with EU, and the U.K. has ramped up planning for a disruptive “no deal” Brexit. A proposed divorce agree- ment hammered out by Prime Minister Theresa May’s gov- ernment last month proposes to keep the U.K. close to EU regulations in return for free trade in goods. The plan has infuriated Brexit-backers in her Conservative party, who claim it would leave the U.K. tethered to the bloc and un- able to strike new trade deals around the world. It also has been received coolly by EU leaders, who claim Britain wants to “cherry pick” aspects of membership in the bloc without the full cost and responsibilities. Raab said Britain and the bloc were 80 percent of the way to a withdrawal deal, and urged the EU to show “pragmatism” in the negotiations. “I’m confident that a deal is within our sights,” he said. Immigration agents arrest 160 people in Texas workplace raid Federal immigration agents arrested 160 workers following a raid in Sumner, Texas, of Load Trail Trailers. It was at least the second immigration raid targeting the business, the last coming in 2014. UN: Ortega’s Nicaraguan gov’t behind widespread repression MEXICO CITY (AP) – A United Nations report released Wednesday on four months of unrest in Nicaragua de- scribes a comprehensive ef- fort of repression by the gov- ernment that extends from the streets to the courts. The report by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights calls on the government of Presi- dent Daniel Ortega to imme- diately halt the persecution of protesters and disarm the masked civilians who have been responsible for many of the killings and arbi- trary detentions. More than 300 people have been killed in violence since mid-April in this Cen- tral American nation. Neigh- boring Costa Rica has been flooded with thousands of re- quests for asylum by people fleeing Nicaragua. The report describes il- legal arrests, torture and closed trials. Doctors, pro- fessors and judges who have spoken out or protested have been dismissed from their jobs to discourage people from participating in or sup- porting the protests. “The level of persecution is such that many of those who have participated in the protests, defended the rights of the protesters, or simply expressed dissenting opinion, have been forced to hide, have left Nicaragua or are trying to do so,” according to the U.N. report. Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the U.N. human rights chief, told reporters in Geneva that “repression and retaliation against demonstrators con- tinue in Nicaragua as the world looks away.” He urged the international community to take “concrete action to prevent the current crisis in Nicaragua from descending into deeper social and polit- ical turmoil.” Ortega’s government dis- missed the report as base- less and relying on anti-gov- ernment media accounts. It denied accusations of excessive use of force against protesters. “The report is biased and slanted with subjective asser- tions,” the government said in a statement, which also noted that it included no mention of the attempted coup d’etat alleged by Ortega. It said the U.N. had not been invited to evaluate the human rights situation, but rather to accompany the verification commission es- tablished as part of the na- tional dialog. It accused the U.N. of overstepping its au- thority and violating Nicara- gua’s sovereignty. In mid-April, retirees and students marched to protest cuts to Nicaragua’s social se- curity benefits decreed by Ortega. They were met with violence from young govern- ment supporters and riot po- lice. The president eventually retracted the changes, but protests quickly evolved into calls for him to step down. University students across the country led the protest effort and took over a number of campuses. But in July the government un- leashed heavily armed ci- vilian forces that worked with police to clear the barricades that had been erected on strategic high- ways and throughout some neighborhoods. There was a short-lived dialog between the govern- ment and opponents, but Ortega accused the Roman Catholic bishops mediating the talks of being part of a coup conspiracy and talks have not resumed. Ortega has blamed international agents and internal enemies of con- spiring to overthrow his gov- ernment. He has said he will not step down before his term ends in 2021. Protests continue, but they are smaller as student leaders have been arrested or forced into hiding or exile. “There are currently no conditions for the free and safe exercise of the rights to freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and asso- ciation,” the U.N. report said. The U.N. team reached its conclusions despite govern- ment obstacles thrown in its path. It said team members could not access relevant government agencies or ob- serve court hearings for those accused of crimes ranging from organized crime to ter- rorism for participating in the protests. When the team attempted to travel out- side the capital, the foreign ministry forbade it for se- curity reasons. Arbitrary arrests are con- ducted without arrest or search warrants, the team found. Detainees are typi- cally held incommunicado for days before their fam- ilies find out where they have been taken. This month The Associ- ated Press reported on stu- dent protesters who were ar- rested, beaten and tortured by police and armed civil- ians. One pregnant student was beaten, despite making her condition known to her captors, and eventually lost her pregnancy. When some families made habeas corpus filings with the courts in an effort to lo- cate their missing relatives, the petitions were initially assigned to dead judges, the U.N. report said. U.N. investi- gators believe it was an effort to delay the proceedings. On Monday night, a judge convicted two young men in the April 21 killing of jour- nalist Angel Gahona in Blue- fields. His widow, Migueliuth Sandoval, said Tuesday that the two men are innocent. “This decision is humili- ating, it doesn’t give us jus- tice. Because we know that these guys didn’t kill my husband, that those who re- ally did it are riot police, be- cause there are videos indi- cating it, that my husband was surrounded by police,” Sandoval said. Riot police officers riding on the back of a pickup truck fire shotguns toward university students taking part in a protest against Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega in Managua on Monday, May 28. - PHOTO: AP Canadian foreign minister hopeful about trade talks Canadian Foreign Min- ister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday expressed op- timism about ongoing trade talks with the White House, part of fast-moving negotiations in President Trump’s push to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement. Freeland’s comments came in Washington as she prepared to step into a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s chief trade negotiator. Freeland arrived in Washington on Tuesday and met that evening with Mex- ican officials, who briefed her on the preliminary, par- tial deal that Trump had an- nounced Monday. The deal would establish new man- ufacturing, labor and envi- ronmental rules. “They worked late into the night last night and started again very early this morning,” Freeland said of negotiators. “We’ve already been having some meetings today.” Canadian officials were largely boxed out of discus- sions in recent weeks be- cause of Trump’s ongoing feud with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump said he would exclude Canada from a new trade deal if it did not sign on to the agree- ment he had reached with Mexico, but Lighthizer has made clear that he wants Canada to be part of the final agreement. And U.S. lawmakers this week said Canada’s in- volvement is critical be- fore they will consider ap- proving any changes. Freeland said Canadian leaders were impressed by the progress the United States made with Mexico, but she would not commit to fully supporting the broader changes yet. “We are optimistic about having some very good” negotiations this week, she said. Canadian and U.S. ne- gotiators have a number of differences they need to re- solve, including disagree- ments over dairy policy, the process for resolving trade disputes and intellectual property protection rules. © 2018, The Washington Post · UK Brexit chief says October deadline for deal may slip Dominic Raab, Britain’s Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2018 BRITONS SENT ABROAD AS CHILDREN SUE GOVERNMENT OVER ABUSE LONDON (AP) – Britons who were sent overseas as poor or orphaned children under state-approved pro- grams in the decades after World War II are suing the British government over the abuse and neglect they suffered, their lawyer said Wednesday. In March a child-abuse inquiry ordered the govern- ment to compensate 2,000 survivors of programs that sent children to countries including Australia, Canada and Southern Rhodesia – now Zimbabwe. The survivors are the last wave of some 150,000 children sent to Britain’s then-colonies starting in the 17th century. The pro- grams were intended to ease pressure on British social services, provide the children with a fresh start and supply the empire with a sturdy supply of white workers. But many children ended up in institutions where they were physi- cally and sexually abused, or were sent to work as farm laborers. The British government took over primary respon- sibility for the policy after World War II and did not end it until 1970. Lawyer Alan Collins, who represents more than 100 survivors, said the gov- ernment had not yet taken any action to offer redress. He has filed papers at Lon- don’s High Court, seeking to force the government to provide compensation. Collins said the sur- viving child migrants, scat- tered around the globe, were elderly and their num- bers “are sadly reducing.” He said setting up a compensation scheme is “not rocket science.” “If the government had the will, it would have done so by now,” Collins said. “I’m hoping that common decency and hu- manity will kick into play and the U.K. gov- ernment will do right by these people.” Then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized in 2010 for the “shameful” and “misguided” child mi- grant program. The Department of Health said it accepted the child migrant policy had been wrong, and was “committed to pro- viding a timely re- sponse to the inquiry’s recommendations.” LIBYAN COAST GUARD RESCUES NEARLY 400 EUROPE-BOUND MIGRANTS CAIRO (AP) – Libya’s coast guard says it has inter- cepted about 400 Europe- bound migrants off the Mediterranean coast. Spokesman Ayoub Gassim said Wednesday that a rubber boat carrying 84 passengers, including six women and five chil- dren, was stopped Monday off the town of al-Maya, 16 miles west of Tripoli. He said that another two boats, carrying 146 passengers, including 26 women and four chil- dren, were stopped Monday off the coast of the southwestern town of Abu Kammash. He said that 162 Eu- rope-bound migrants have been intercepted last week. He said the mi- grants were given human- itarian and medical aid, and were taken to refugee camps in the towns of Za- wiya and Tajoura. Libyan authorities have stepped up efforts to stem the flow of migrants, with European assistance. A scallop skirmish erupts between French, British boats PARIS (AP) – It will not be remembered as one of the great naval encounters be- tween France and England but, unlike at the Battle of Tr- afalgar, this time French mar- iners felt they won. Fishermen from rival French and British fleets banged their boats in ill-tem- pered skirmishes this week over access to the scallop- rich waters off France’s northern coast. French maritime offi- cial Ingrid Parrot described the muscular confronta- tion between 35 French boats and five British ones in international waters on Tuesday morning as “very dangerous,” although there were no injuries. “It was very, very tense,” she said. “We really hope things will calm down.” Every year sees prob- lems between French and British fishermen over ac- cess to lucrative scallops, she said. But it’s usually without the violence that was captured by a French TV crew. Their video showed boats banging hulls and at least one firework rocket being launched. A British trade group, the South Western Fish Pro- ducers Organization, accused French fishermen of putting lives at risk. “The French might look like heroes to the French coastal communities but it’s really awful to put other mariners in danger,” said its chief executive, Jim Portus. He said a window was smashed on one British boat and that another suffered fire damage from a flare. French law prevents French boats from fishing for scallops during the summer months before Oct. 1, to help preserve the stocks, Parrot said. But British ships can still fish for the prized delicacies in international waters off the French coast. That makes French crews “feel that the resources are being pillaged, when they are preserving them,” Parrot said. In previous years, the two sides struck deals to limit the scope of British scallop fishing off French wa- ters but have not managed to do so this year, she said. More talks are expected in mid-September. “If we let them do what they want, they’ll ravage the area,” said Anthony Quesnel, captain of “La Rose des Vents,” one of the French boats that took part in the ef- fort to shoo away the British vessels on Tuesday. Car bomb claimed by Islamic State kills 7 in western Iraq BAGHDAD (AP) – Seven people were killed Wednesday in a suicide car bombing claimed by the Islamic State group in a former stronghold of the jihadists in western Iraq, a security official said. The attacker detonated his explosives-laden vehicle at a joint security checkpoint managed by the Iraqi army and the Popular Mobiliza- tion Forces at the southern entrance to the town of al- Qaim, about 19 miles from the Syrian border, Maj. Gen Qasem al-Dulaimi said. He said four security forces and three civilians were killed in the blast. Al-Dulaimi blamed ISIS for the attack, and the group, through its Aamaq news agency, later claimed respon- sibility in posts it circulated on social media. Also on Wednesday, the Criminal Court of Anbar Province, which includes al- Qaim, sentenced three men to death by hanging, finding them guilty of carrying out terror attacks in the prov- ince. There was no indication the men were connected to Wednesday’s attack. Judge Abdelsattar Bayar- qadar, spokesman for Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, said the three men were members of IS. Al-Qaim is a former Islamic State group stronghold in Anbar province in western Iraq. A spate of kidnappings and guerrilla style attacks in desert areas in western and central Iraq this summer have stirred security con- cerns in the country as it seeks to rebuild from its three-year-long war with the militant group. Iraqi officials declared victory over the jihadists late last year after recapturing Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, in a grinding battle sup- ported by the U.S.-led inter- national coalition against IS. But heavy-handed tac- tics by the military and the Shiite-dominated PMF, and faltering efforts at recon- ciliation between the coun- try’s Sunni and Shiite Mus- lims, have fueled resentment in Sunni Muslim areas that were most affected by the war, and where IS cells are believed to operate. Millions of Iraqis have not been able to return to their homes, including hundreds of thousands still living in dis- placed persons camps. Iraq’s military and the PMF have been using the predominantly Sunni Anbar province as a base of op- erations against ISIS in the country’s western desert and for air operations against the group in neighboring Syria. In this July 20, 2012 photo, Iraqi soldiers patrol along the border between Syria and Iraq in Anbar province, Iraq. Several people were killed in a car bomb blast in a former stronghold of the Islamic State group in western Iraq, a security official said on Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP The bow of the Honeybourne 3, a Scottish scallop dredger, is seen in dock at Shoreham, south England, Wednesday, following clashes with French fishermen in the early hours of Tuesday morning off France’s northern coast. - PHOTO: AP The survivors are the last wave of some 150,000 children sent to Britain’s then- colonies starting in the 17th century. The programs were intended to ease pressure on British social services. Two boats, carrying 146 passengers, including 26 women and four children, were stopped Monday off the coast of the southwestern town of Abu Kammash.Next >